This Sunday we will celebrate All Souls with the Commemoration of the All the Faithful Departed. At this service we will read the names of those who have died in the past year, for whom we have prayed throughout the year. For some of us, it will be a time to grieve those we have lost while being assured of the eternal life offered to us through Christ.
The liturgy at 11am will be one of the Choral Feasts that are designated on several Sundays throughout the year at St. Bart’s, this time featuring Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem. It is hard to imagine a more sublime way to remember those we have lost than in the context of a choral Eucharist with the glorious music of Mozart.
When my father died a few years ago, I remember planning his funeral with my mother. She had very specific ideas about what she wanted for his service: Rite I, Psalm 121, and, since my father served in the Navy, the hymn “Eternal Father, Strong to Save,” sometimes known as The Navy Hymn. The day of my father’s funeral was profoundly sad, but we were surrounded by family and friends, and we were immersed in beautiful liturgy and music. I remember how comforted I was by that service, saying the prayers, singing the hymns, and commending my father to God. The words of the burial rite offered a gentle holding space for our pain.
In my humble - and definitely biased - opinion, the liturgies in the Book of Common Prayer are a particular blessing of the Episcopal Church, especially in times of grief and sadness. At St. Bart’s, there are also small groups, like Grief, Hope and Healing Together where those who have experienced the loss of a friend or loved one can find a supportive community.
St. Bart’s is a place where we can bring the cares and troubles of our lives, a community that can help us carry our burdens, and a space that will hold us in our pain. Whether it is in a church service or in one of our small groups, we know that we are not alone and that the God who loves us is with us always. This Sunday would be a perfect time to experience that for yourself.
