"Feast of All Saints"

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This song was recorded in the sanctuary at Oak Grove Lutheran Church on November 4, 2021. The original facebook post may be viewed and shared here.

It’s so rare that I write songs anymore. They don’t come like they used to. But sometimes they do, and when they do I am grateful.

This week is All Saints Sunday. The day in the year when we remember and light candles for the dead. Grieve our losses together. The texts for the day are Isaiah 25:6-9 (“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow…Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”). The Gospel is the story of Lazarus raised from the dead, but for whom Jesus first wept.

Some other pastors and I lamented the collective grief we all have yet to feel. Over Covid, climate chaos, political and police violence… so much hurt and unspeakable pain. How to pastor in that?

Anyway, this is the song that started in my head as we talked, and came to fruition over about 20 minutes. Sometimes songs rise like that.

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Welcome to the feast of all Saints
The table is set, the wine is well aged
And the God of the grieving, your tears will redeem
They await with a ribbon of peace
To welcome you to the feast

Oh come to the great lamenting
Here the Spirit of wisdom is interceding
She will take to the father
In groanings deep all the pain
That you cannot speak
When you come to great lamenting

Oh Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy

O Come to the grave and receive
The full count of your tears, the name of your griefs
And our Mother, O Giver of Life, She’ll weep
with you when you come to the grave
She will carry onward you in grace

Oh Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy

Oh, come to the Feast of All Saints
The table is set, the wine is well aged
The God of the Rising is still Raising us up today
Oh come now and celebrate
At the feast of all saints

Feast of All Saints (c) Amy Courts 2021