REALMS OF ENDLESS DAY: A SERMON FOR THE 23RD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

The Saints and Martyrs of Our English Patrimony

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

Beloved brothers and sisters, on this sacred Sunday in which we remember the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls, we gather to reflect deeply on the mysteries of life, death, and the eternal communion shared within the Church. This is not only the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, coming close to the end of our Ordinary Year and beginning our Season of Advent, but a hallowed moment to honor those who have walked before us into the realm of endless day. Our meditation this morning is steeped in the sober and Bible-loving traditions of the Ancient Church and enriched by the voices of our Syriac, Caroline, Nonjuror, and Oxford Fathers, hearing from figures such as John Wesley, C.S. Lewis, T.S. Eliot, and John Donne, sounding through the English countryside and resonating through the airy Gothic Cathedrals of our holy Patrimony. 

Scriptural Foundations and the Vision of Eternity

Our readings for today anchor us in the covenantal promises of God and the call to a faithful response. In Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Joshua stands before the people of Israel and exhorts them, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). This steadfast declaration embodies the resolve of the saints, who through the ages, chose fidelity even unto death. Their lives whisper to us the challenge of unwavering commitment amidst the trials of earthly life.

In Philippians 3:17-21, St. Paul writes, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample... For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). These words remind us that this world is but a prelude, and our true citizenship lies in heaven. The saints, whom we commemorate today, are not mere relics of history but living members of the same body, now beholding God face to face.

Prayers for the Departed: The Scriptural and Patristic Testimony

The Gospel today from Matthew 22:15-22 beckons us to consider the nature of our earthly obligations versus our divine ones: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Our spiritual obligations extend to our prayers for the faithful departed. In 2 Maccabees 12:44-45, we read, “For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead. But if he did it with a view to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.” This passage underpins our Orthodox practice, linking hope with intercession.

The Book of Enoch paints a vivid portrait of celestial intercession, showing that the heavenly realm is invested in the well-being of those on earth: “And I saw there the angels who were in the heavens, and they were standing at the right hand of the Holy One, and they were praying for the sons of men” (1 Enoch 9:4). Here, the interconnectedness between heaven and earth, the living and the dead, is made manifest.

St. John Chrysostom echoes this tradition, teaching, “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why should we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation?” This assurance that our prayers traverse the bounds of death is found throughout the liturgical practices of our Western Orthodox Tradition, where, as St. Ephrem the Syrian so powerfully wrote, echoing throughout the ages of Orthodox liturgy, “Give rest, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, where the light of Thy countenance shines. Let their memory be eternal and their hope in Thee remain unfading.”

The Testimony of John Wesley, C.S. Lewis and T.S. Eliot on Remembrance

John Wesley, in his “Letter to a Roman Catholic,” affirms, “I believe it to be a duty to commend those we love to the mercy of God; not that they need our prayers, but because we need to exercise this love, which, even in the face of death, affirms that they are not lost but live in God.” Wesley’s assurance finds resonance in the belief that God is “the God of the living, not the dead. And to Him, all are alive” (Luke 20:38).

In the wake of World War I, the collective grief of Europe found expression in simple acts of remembrance. C.S. Lewis, who knew profound personal loss, observed the sacredness of these acts. He wrote of an old friend who, after the war, would visit the grave of his fallen comrades every Sunday, reading aloud the Psalms. “They are not dead, but gone before,” Lewis would say, capturing the Christian conviction that those who have departed remain a part of our lives through prayer and memory. In “A Grief Observed”, Lewis writes, “Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.” And yet, there is hope: “There are no ordinary people... It is immortals whom we joke with, work with... immortals whom we pray for.” This reflects the enduring Christian conviction that death cannot sever love.

T.S. Eliot, another voice from Oxford, captures this mystery in “Little Gidding”:

“We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.”

It is in this journey—through life, death, and beyond—that we see death not as an end, but a gateway.

The Intercessions of the Saints: The Church Triumphant

The Epistle to the Hebrews provides this beautiful image: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). These saints, now triumphant, intercede on our behalf. Fr. John Keble, one of the Oxford Fathers, expressed this communion of the living and departed in “The Christian Year”:

“The shadowy hosts of thought that go

Before our steps in silent show,

Show us where we are trod;

They hover o’er, they bend before,

As once they crossed the ways of yore

Companions of the road.”

2 Maccabees 15:12-16 describes a vision of the high priest Onias and the prophet Jeremiah praying for the people of Israel, illustrating the intercessory role of the righteous even after death:

“What he saw was this: Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews. Then likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority. And Onias spoke, saying, ‘This is a man who loves the family of Israel and prays much for the people and the holy city—Jeremiah, the prophet of God.’” (RSV)

In the Book of Revelation, we clearly see the Saints praying before the Throne of Christ:

Revelation 5:8 – This verse describes the twenty-four elders who, before the Lamb, hold golden bowls full of incense, which represent the prayers of the saints: “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (ESV)

Revelation 6:9-10 – Here, the souls of the martyrs are depicted as crying out to God for justice: “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” (ESV)

Revelation 8:3-4 – This passage describes an angel offering incense with the prayers of all the saints on the altar before God: “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.” (ESV)

These passages illustrate the active role of the saints in heaven, interceding for the faithful on earth and presenting their prayers before God. This supports the understanding of the communion of saints and their ongoing participation in the life of the Church.

The Sacred Duty of Prayers and Sacrifices

The offering of prayers for the dead reflects our deep-seated confidence in Christ’s victory over death and our enduring love for those who have passed on. Within the liturgical life of the Church, these prayers are more than mere words; they are sacred acts that embody our hope in the resurrection and testify to the belief that love transcends even death.

This practice is not without its ancient roots. In the Deuterocanonical scriptures, we find a powerful example in 2 Maccabees 12:43-45, where Judas Maccabeus, after a fierce battle, acted out of compassion and hope for his fallen comrades:

"He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore, he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin." (2 Maccabees 12:43-45, RSV)

This passage affirms the belief that the prayers and sacrifices made on behalf of the departed contribute to their peace and reconciliation before God.

In our Western Orthodox Tradition, the faithful continue this legacy with reverence. The witness of the saints, the liturgical prayers, and the constant hymn sung for the repose of the departed—let us remember again the prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian, who chanted,

"Rest, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, where the light of Thy countenance shines. Let their memory be eternal and their hope in Thee remain unfading"

This is an expression of a hope that binds us to those who have gone before us. These practices are underpinned by our unwavering belief in the mercy of God, whose love and forgiveness surpass our understanding and whose promise of resurrection is the anchor of our hope.

Conclusion: Hope Rooted in Eternal Communion

Our prayers for the departed are acts of profound love that affirm our hope in the resurrection. The ritual acts of the Church—candles lit, prayers whispered—proclaim that in Christ, life conquers death. As John Wesley encouraged, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

The ritual acts of the Church—candles lit, prayers whispered—stand as testaments to our faith in the Communion of Saints. We are reminded that our commemoration of the dead is not a passive act but a bold proclamation that in Christ, life is stronger than death. Our hymns, like those of the ancient Church, echo through the ages as witnesses to the hope that death cannot defeat.

Our Orthodox Faith finds poetic echoes in the works of John Donne, who pondered the nature of death itself:

“Death be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so.”

Such verses remind us of St. Paul’s victorious proclamation, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

May we, beloved, hold this hope close to our hearts, knowing that our prayers are treasures before God, wafting up before Him from the golden censers of the Saints, a sweet-smelling savor in His awesome and incomprehensible glory. For as Matthew 13:43 assures us, “The righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Let us press on in faith, remembering the departed with love, as we journey through the shadowlands into the realm of endless day. Amen.

COLLECT

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of thy Son’s passion; that in the day of his appearing they may be manifested as thy true children, who livest and reignest with him and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord: Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.