All Saints' Day draws close

... ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints - Ephesians 2:19.

The Second Lesson, from Ephesians 2, at the First Evensong of the feast of Saint Simon and Saint Jude was suggestive of how the feast prepares us for All Saints' Day, a theme also evident in the collect, with its declaration that the Church is "built ... upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets".

This was echoed in the Psalms at Mattins, for the 28th day of the month:

let thy saints sing with joyfulness ... and her saints shall rejoice and sing - Ps. 132:9 & 17.

The Epistle and Gospel at Holy Communion anticipate the celebration of the Communion of Saints. The readings unfold two aspects of our Communion with the Saints: "the faith once delivered unto the saints" (Jude), "These things I command you, that ye love one another" (John 15), drawn together in the collect of All Saints' Day with its "knit together ... in one communion and fellowship".

With the feast day drawing to a close at Evensong, the Second Lesson sets before us our hope of sharing in the beatific vision now enjoyed by the Saints:

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

The feast of Saint Simon and Saint Jude thus concludes with the joyful hope of the vision glorious, those "unspeakable joys" which will be celebrated in the All Saints' Day collect.

The close of proximity of today's feast to All Saints' Day is no awkward clash of red letter days. Rather, Saint Simon and Saint Jude orients us towards the joyful glory of All Hallows, preparing us to rejoice in the high festival of that "mystical body".

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