All Saints' Day
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III, Cycle C
The Church Year Theological Clue
As mentioned in this section of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, All Saints' Day is what its title suggests - a festival that celebrates the memory and the faith of all those who have died as "saints" in the Christian churches. It is an occasion to give God thanks for their witness and work in and for the church of Jesus Christ, recalling that the faith has been preserved for contemporary believers by the Word and the Holy Spirit, but also by the faithful sacrifices of those who preceded us in the faith. The church triumphant and the church militant close ranks, as it were, on All Saints' Day all over the world. By its very nature, it is an ecumenical and international feast that is, or should be, observed by all Christians. It is a major festival, claiming as its own the first Sunday in November; November 1 is the established date for All Saints' Day.
All Saints' Day is the "memorial day" of the Christian church and, as such, precedes the May 30th Memorial Day that is commemorated in the United States of America. Oddly enough, it was celebrated on May 13th for more than six centuries - actually, until 835 A.D., when it was moved to November 1 by Pope Gregory IV. One reason given for moving its date from May to November is that it was a popular day for a pilgrimage to Rome; its popularity flooded Rome with so many people that food was in short supply in May. More food was available in November, making it much easier to accommodate the thousands of pilgrims who invaded Rome for this religious occasion. Halloween originated as a vigil for All Saints', or All Hallows' Day, which evolved into a strictly secular phenomenon today. Reformation Day and Halloween share October 31 for their commemorations, but November 1 belongs to all of the saints through the grace of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Prayer Of The Day
The classic collect for All Saints' Day is tainted theologically by a hint that salvation is earned by good works rather than a free gift of God given to those who believe in Christ as 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 you ..." The prayer now reads this way in The Lutheran Book Of Worship: "Almighty God, whose people are knit together in one holy church, the body of Christ our Lord: Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever." As it now reads in this worship book, it would be appropriate as a second collect for Reformation Day, because it creates theological harmony between the two festivals that occur one week apart from each other.
The Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 24:1-6 (RC) - Whether this psalm was composed to give thanks and praise to God after the return of the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines in the days of Eli is a moot question. Nor is the familiar opening of the psalm ("The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and all that dwell therein") intended to place it on Thanksgiving Day. Rather, it is from verse 3 onward that the psalm addresses All Saints' Day, and does it quite effectively: "Who can ascend the hill of the Lord and who can stand in his holy place?" The psalmist answers his own question this way: Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who have not pledged themselves to falsehood, nor sworn by what is a fraud. They shall receive a blessing from the Lord and a just reward from the God of their salvation.
Psalm 149 (E) - One of the many psalms that could have been chosen to respond to the first reading, this psalm does encourage the living saints: "For the Lord takes pleasure in his people and adorns the poor with victory." It continues: "Let the praises of God be in their throat," which certainly is proper for All Saints' Day. From verse 6b through verse 9, the psalm takes on an unseemly tone: and a two-edged sword in their hand; to wreak vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples; to bind their kings in chains and their nobles with links of iron; to inflict on them the judgment decreed; this is glory for all his faithful people. Hallelujah! The business of the saints is to live out the gospel in true faith and proclaim it to all the nations, not judge them and utterly destroy them.
Psalm 34:1-10 (L) - Numerous psalms could have been selected for this occasion, but this one was chosen because it speaks so perfectly to the situation of the saints of God in verse 9: "Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing." The opening verses, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall ever be in my mouth. I will glory in the Lord; let the humble hear and rejoice. Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord," direct the people to the gracious and powerful actions of God, which have not only delivered his people from sin, but also from the relentless grip of death. The psalm is so attuned to All Saints' Day worship that it would be fitting to use the whole psalm as a responsory to the first reading.
Psalm prayer (149 - E) - This prayer is more attuned to All Saints' Day that those prepared for the other two psalms - "Lord, let Israel rejoice in you and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. In your loving kindness embrace us now, that we may proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation with your saints in glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Readings
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-12 (RC) - When this vision was set down by the apocalyptic writer, it was as much for the encouragement of those who might soon suffer martyrdom as it was to assure them that those who already had died as martyrs had been "washed" in the blood of the Lamb. Martyrdom, to John, was not simply dying for the Lord; it was a participation in the redeeming act of Christ on the cross, joining him in his obedient sacrifice at Calvary. Christians experience a type of martyrdom in baptism, when they die with the Lord at the cross. Martyrdom carried with it the assurance that those who were executed for the faith would soon experience all the joys of heaven as a gift of grace, not a reward for works. This chapter and other parts of "the Book of Revelation" continue to give encouragement to Christians, not because they have died as martyrs, but because they have been washed clean in baptism and have received the Sign of the Holy Cross upon their foreheads. Used as a first reading in the Roman Catholic ORDO, it is also, with the addition of verses 13-17, the second reading in The Book Of Common Prayer.
Ecclesiastes 44:1-10, 13-14 (E) - Selected for its use on the "combination" All Saints'/All Souls' Day, this reading makes a beautiful and fitting tribute to all of the saints, those whose names have been set down in the records of the church as worthy of remembrance and praise, and for those, too, whose names have been entirely forgotten on earth. It reminds the church that God receives all of the faithful on his own terms, and that his way of judging may be entirely different than ours. But it remains for the church to celebrate all people who have died in the faith, at least on one day in the year, and not simply single out special persons for remembrance and thanksgiving without acknowledging the continuing existence in the community of faith of those who were "little saints" or appeared not to be saints at all.
Isaiah 26:1-4, 8-9, 12-13, 19-21 (L) - Portions of the apocalypse of Isaiah, which was probably written a century later than his prophecies, look to a day when "thy (emphasis mine) dead shall live, their bodies shall rise. O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy!" Truly, as the prophet sings, "We have a strong city," and (as the RSV has it) "Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee." This first reading surely is in harmony with the Gospel for All Saints' Day, pointing to it some six-and-a-half centuries before Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection gave new meaning to the critical issues involved in the mortality of human beings.
Revelation 7:9-17 (C) - The comments above, with the omission of verses 2-4, apply for this first reading.
1 John 3:1-3 (RC, C) - The writer of this "catholic" epistle continues to speak to the church today, and especially on All Saints' Day. He does not give us a picture of what heaven will be like, but assures Christians that they are "children of God" and that, in the kingdom of heaven, they will be "like him, because we shall see him as he really is. "All John knows is that eternal life is a certainty for those who believe in Jesus Christ, and that this means that the children of God will be united with him some how, some time in the future. This reading, therefore, encourages the church to be faithful to God's promises in Christ Jesus, as were the saints of all ages, and to trust that God will see them through life's trials and tribulations, and even conquer death itself. That is what we have to live by and hope for and it is enough.
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-17 (E) - Comments on this second reading are printed above.
Revelation 21:9-11, 22-27 (22:1-5) (L) - In this part of John's apocalyptic writing, which was composed some seven-and-a-half centuries after Isaiah's apocalypse for people enduring suffering from severe persecution, the writer renews the image of the "strong city," in which an apocalyptic feast would take place. It is a city without a temple, because its "temple is the Lord' God the Almighty and the Lamb." God's glory will fill it with continual light; there will be no night in this city; it has no need of sun and moon. Its gates shall always be open, but nothing unclean shall enter to enjoy the feast, "but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." The longer reading, which tells of the river of life and the tree of life, also announces that "his servants shall worship him," and makes the promise that "they shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads." God will truly be the light of all people, and he shall reign forever and the feast will have no end.
Matthew 5:1-12 (RC, E, L, C) - There can be little doubt that Jesus was addressing the beatitudes to his disciples, who, at his call and direction, had left everything - homes, families, friends, work - in order to follow him. His "blessed are's" assure them that he knows their sacrifices and devotion, and that they will be recompensed in the kingdom of heaven. Therefore after enumerating the "blesseds" and the promise, he declares, "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." The first part of each beatitude is descriptive of the situations of the disciples, while the second part spells out the blessings that will come to them - and the faithful of every age - in the kingdom of heaven. The last two verses reveal why the church selected this reading for the remembrance and celebration of all of the martyrs on All Saints' Day.
Sermon Suggestions, Synopses, Sketches, Stories
Matthew 5:1-12 (RC, E, L, C) - "The Saints - Ordinary And Extraordinary." - Saints are people who have been saved by faith and have been claimed by Christ in baptism. Some are ordinary saints, and others are extraordinary, spectacular saints, who have gained significant places in the history of the church. All of the saints are attempting to live out their faith in their own ways, which differ according to their gifts, the level of their commitment, and, sometimes, the opportunities they have to witness to the faith. Saints are witnesses to the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
1. Extraordinary saints have their own days in the calendar of the church; most of them were martyrs, who died terrible and, quite often, extremely painful deaths. When I was growing up, some of my friends belonged to a Roman Catholic parish, St. Lawrence's Church. I had no idea of the significance of that name then, but I do now. He was a man whose life was so extraordinary that not only parishes but cities and towns and even a great river have been named after him. He was "barbecued," burned on a gridiron because he refused to turn over the church's treasury, which was earmarked for relief of the poor, to the emperor. And so, a whole legend - exaggerated, no doubt, but basically genuine and grisly - has been built up around him. But the extraordinary thing about him and most of the other martyrs was the measure of grace given them by God which strengthened them in faith to lay down their lives for Jesus Christ. We remember most of these extraordinary saints almost automatically, if we know about them and their lives.
2. Ordinary saints are people who have been "marked with the cross of Christ" and belong to the church, his body here on earth. They attend worship and attempt to live a genuine Christian life; they witness in their own way to the gospel of the Lord. But they may be easily forgotten. Father Gerard Sloyan, in a collection of meditations, Nothing Of Yesterday Preaches, tells us that "their faces and mannerisms ... will one day require great effort to recall in imagination," and he says, "That is an awful realization." He goes on: "My mother has been dead 12 years, and I recall her face clearly in a few characteristic poses but not in all her moods and tenses. I can still recall many things she said but the number of her witty and wise observations lessens in my memory. She, who was never downed by circumstance for 10 minutes in her life, has been reduced to the humiliating state of one of the faithful departed."
3. So, All Saints' Day is a day to remember the ordinary saints alongside the extraordinary saints, and to thank God for them and all they have meant to him and the church of Christ and to us. Both ordinary and extraordinary saints are alive in the church, and come together again on this day when those who belong to the church triumphant and those who are members of the church militant recognize their common heritage and destiny in Jesus Christ.
4. All of the saints - ordinary as well as extraordinary - were created by God through grace, the Word, and Holy Baptism. As we remember those who have preceded us in the faith, we are moved to give thanks that we belong to that blessed company that is named for and exists forever with Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.
Note: Sermon suggestions for the other readings appear in the Lectionary Preaching Workbook III, Cycle A, and are reprinted in the Lectionary Preaching Workbook III, Cycle B. The second reading for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost will work quite well as a meditation for All Saints' Day. It could look something like this:
2 Timothy 2:8-15 - "The Savior And His Saints."
1. Remember the gospel of the dead and risen Lord. It is our hope of eternity.
2. Remember our baptism into his death and resurrection. It is his way of creating saints.
3. Remember to repent daily of sin. That is his way of preserving us as his saints.
4. Remember God's forgiveness in Jesus. That is the evidence of his faithfulness, his guarantee of salvation.
As mentioned in this section of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, All Saints' Day is what its title suggests - a festival that celebrates the memory and the faith of all those who have died as "saints" in the Christian churches. It is an occasion to give God thanks for their witness and work in and for the church of Jesus Christ, recalling that the faith has been preserved for contemporary believers by the Word and the Holy Spirit, but also by the faithful sacrifices of those who preceded us in the faith. The church triumphant and the church militant close ranks, as it were, on All Saints' Day all over the world. By its very nature, it is an ecumenical and international feast that is, or should be, observed by all Christians. It is a major festival, claiming as its own the first Sunday in November; November 1 is the established date for All Saints' Day.
All Saints' Day is the "memorial day" of the Christian church and, as such, precedes the May 30th Memorial Day that is commemorated in the United States of America. Oddly enough, it was celebrated on May 13th for more than six centuries - actually, until 835 A.D., when it was moved to November 1 by Pope Gregory IV. One reason given for moving its date from May to November is that it was a popular day for a pilgrimage to Rome; its popularity flooded Rome with so many people that food was in short supply in May. More food was available in November, making it much easier to accommodate the thousands of pilgrims who invaded Rome for this religious occasion. Halloween originated as a vigil for All Saints', or All Hallows' Day, which evolved into a strictly secular phenomenon today. Reformation Day and Halloween share October 31 for their commemorations, but November 1 belongs to all of the saints through the grace of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Prayer Of The Day
The classic collect for All Saints' Day is tainted theologically by a hint that salvation is earned by good works rather than a free gift of God given to those who believe in Christ as 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 you ..." The prayer now reads this way in The Lutheran Book Of Worship: "Almighty God, whose people are knit together in one holy church, the body of Christ our Lord: Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever." As it now reads in this worship book, it would be appropriate as a second collect for Reformation Day, because it creates theological harmony between the two festivals that occur one week apart from each other.
The Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 24:1-6 (RC) - Whether this psalm was composed to give thanks and praise to God after the return of the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines in the days of Eli is a moot question. Nor is the familiar opening of the psalm ("The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and all that dwell therein") intended to place it on Thanksgiving Day. Rather, it is from verse 3 onward that the psalm addresses All Saints' Day, and does it quite effectively: "Who can ascend the hill of the Lord and who can stand in his holy place?" The psalmist answers his own question this way: Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who have not pledged themselves to falsehood, nor sworn by what is a fraud. They shall receive a blessing from the Lord and a just reward from the God of their salvation.
Psalm 149 (E) - One of the many psalms that could have been chosen to respond to the first reading, this psalm does encourage the living saints: "For the Lord takes pleasure in his people and adorns the poor with victory." It continues: "Let the praises of God be in their throat," which certainly is proper for All Saints' Day. From verse 6b through verse 9, the psalm takes on an unseemly tone: and a two-edged sword in their hand; to wreak vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples; to bind their kings in chains and their nobles with links of iron; to inflict on them the judgment decreed; this is glory for all his faithful people. Hallelujah! The business of the saints is to live out the gospel in true faith and proclaim it to all the nations, not judge them and utterly destroy them.
Psalm 34:1-10 (L) - Numerous psalms could have been selected for this occasion, but this one was chosen because it speaks so perfectly to the situation of the saints of God in verse 9: "Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing." The opening verses, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall ever be in my mouth. I will glory in the Lord; let the humble hear and rejoice. Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord," direct the people to the gracious and powerful actions of God, which have not only delivered his people from sin, but also from the relentless grip of death. The psalm is so attuned to All Saints' Day worship that it would be fitting to use the whole psalm as a responsory to the first reading.
Psalm prayer (149 - E) - This prayer is more attuned to All Saints' Day that those prepared for the other two psalms - "Lord, let Israel rejoice in you and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. In your loving kindness embrace us now, that we may proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation with your saints in glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Readings
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-12 (RC) - When this vision was set down by the apocalyptic writer, it was as much for the encouragement of those who might soon suffer martyrdom as it was to assure them that those who already had died as martyrs had been "washed" in the blood of the Lamb. Martyrdom, to John, was not simply dying for the Lord; it was a participation in the redeeming act of Christ on the cross, joining him in his obedient sacrifice at Calvary. Christians experience a type of martyrdom in baptism, when they die with the Lord at the cross. Martyrdom carried with it the assurance that those who were executed for the faith would soon experience all the joys of heaven as a gift of grace, not a reward for works. This chapter and other parts of "the Book of Revelation" continue to give encouragement to Christians, not because they have died as martyrs, but because they have been washed clean in baptism and have received the Sign of the Holy Cross upon their foreheads. Used as a first reading in the Roman Catholic ORDO, it is also, with the addition of verses 13-17, the second reading in The Book Of Common Prayer.
Ecclesiastes 44:1-10, 13-14 (E) - Selected for its use on the "combination" All Saints'/All Souls' Day, this reading makes a beautiful and fitting tribute to all of the saints, those whose names have been set down in the records of the church as worthy of remembrance and praise, and for those, too, whose names have been entirely forgotten on earth. It reminds the church that God receives all of the faithful on his own terms, and that his way of judging may be entirely different than ours. But it remains for the church to celebrate all people who have died in the faith, at least on one day in the year, and not simply single out special persons for remembrance and thanksgiving without acknowledging the continuing existence in the community of faith of those who were "little saints" or appeared not to be saints at all.
Isaiah 26:1-4, 8-9, 12-13, 19-21 (L) - Portions of the apocalypse of Isaiah, which was probably written a century later than his prophecies, look to a day when "thy (emphasis mine) dead shall live, their bodies shall rise. O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy!" Truly, as the prophet sings, "We have a strong city," and (as the RSV has it) "Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee." This first reading surely is in harmony with the Gospel for All Saints' Day, pointing to it some six-and-a-half centuries before Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection gave new meaning to the critical issues involved in the mortality of human beings.
Revelation 7:9-17 (C) - The comments above, with the omission of verses 2-4, apply for this first reading.
1 John 3:1-3 (RC, C) - The writer of this "catholic" epistle continues to speak to the church today, and especially on All Saints' Day. He does not give us a picture of what heaven will be like, but assures Christians that they are "children of God" and that, in the kingdom of heaven, they will be "like him, because we shall see him as he really is. "All John knows is that eternal life is a certainty for those who believe in Jesus Christ, and that this means that the children of God will be united with him some how, some time in the future. This reading, therefore, encourages the church to be faithful to God's promises in Christ Jesus, as were the saints of all ages, and to trust that God will see them through life's trials and tribulations, and even conquer death itself. That is what we have to live by and hope for and it is enough.
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-17 (E) - Comments on this second reading are printed above.
Revelation 21:9-11, 22-27 (22:1-5) (L) - In this part of John's apocalyptic writing, which was composed some seven-and-a-half centuries after Isaiah's apocalypse for people enduring suffering from severe persecution, the writer renews the image of the "strong city," in which an apocalyptic feast would take place. It is a city without a temple, because its "temple is the Lord' God the Almighty and the Lamb." God's glory will fill it with continual light; there will be no night in this city; it has no need of sun and moon. Its gates shall always be open, but nothing unclean shall enter to enjoy the feast, "but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." The longer reading, which tells of the river of life and the tree of life, also announces that "his servants shall worship him," and makes the promise that "they shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads." God will truly be the light of all people, and he shall reign forever and the feast will have no end.
Matthew 5:1-12 (RC, E, L, C) - There can be little doubt that Jesus was addressing the beatitudes to his disciples, who, at his call and direction, had left everything - homes, families, friends, work - in order to follow him. His "blessed are's" assure them that he knows their sacrifices and devotion, and that they will be recompensed in the kingdom of heaven. Therefore after enumerating the "blesseds" and the promise, he declares, "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." The first part of each beatitude is descriptive of the situations of the disciples, while the second part spells out the blessings that will come to them - and the faithful of every age - in the kingdom of heaven. The last two verses reveal why the church selected this reading for the remembrance and celebration of all of the martyrs on All Saints' Day.
Sermon Suggestions, Synopses, Sketches, Stories
Matthew 5:1-12 (RC, E, L, C) - "The Saints - Ordinary And Extraordinary." - Saints are people who have been saved by faith and have been claimed by Christ in baptism. Some are ordinary saints, and others are extraordinary, spectacular saints, who have gained significant places in the history of the church. All of the saints are attempting to live out their faith in their own ways, which differ according to their gifts, the level of their commitment, and, sometimes, the opportunities they have to witness to the faith. Saints are witnesses to the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
1. Extraordinary saints have their own days in the calendar of the church; most of them were martyrs, who died terrible and, quite often, extremely painful deaths. When I was growing up, some of my friends belonged to a Roman Catholic parish, St. Lawrence's Church. I had no idea of the significance of that name then, but I do now. He was a man whose life was so extraordinary that not only parishes but cities and towns and even a great river have been named after him. He was "barbecued," burned on a gridiron because he refused to turn over the church's treasury, which was earmarked for relief of the poor, to the emperor. And so, a whole legend - exaggerated, no doubt, but basically genuine and grisly - has been built up around him. But the extraordinary thing about him and most of the other martyrs was the measure of grace given them by God which strengthened them in faith to lay down their lives for Jesus Christ. We remember most of these extraordinary saints almost automatically, if we know about them and their lives.
2. Ordinary saints are people who have been "marked with the cross of Christ" and belong to the church, his body here on earth. They attend worship and attempt to live a genuine Christian life; they witness in their own way to the gospel of the Lord. But they may be easily forgotten. Father Gerard Sloyan, in a collection of meditations, Nothing Of Yesterday Preaches, tells us that "their faces and mannerisms ... will one day require great effort to recall in imagination," and he says, "That is an awful realization." He goes on: "My mother has been dead 12 years, and I recall her face clearly in a few characteristic poses but not in all her moods and tenses. I can still recall many things she said but the number of her witty and wise observations lessens in my memory. She, who was never downed by circumstance for 10 minutes in her life, has been reduced to the humiliating state of one of the faithful departed."
3. So, All Saints' Day is a day to remember the ordinary saints alongside the extraordinary saints, and to thank God for them and all they have meant to him and the church of Christ and to us. Both ordinary and extraordinary saints are alive in the church, and come together again on this day when those who belong to the church triumphant and those who are members of the church militant recognize their common heritage and destiny in Jesus Christ.
4. All of the saints - ordinary as well as extraordinary - were created by God through grace, the Word, and Holy Baptism. As we remember those who have preceded us in the faith, we are moved to give thanks that we belong to that blessed company that is named for and exists forever with Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.
Note: Sermon suggestions for the other readings appear in the Lectionary Preaching Workbook III, Cycle A, and are reprinted in the Lectionary Preaching Workbook III, Cycle B. The second reading for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost will work quite well as a meditation for All Saints' Day. It could look something like this:
2 Timothy 2:8-15 - "The Savior And His Saints."
1. Remember the gospel of the dead and risen Lord. It is our hope of eternity.
2. Remember our baptism into his death and resurrection. It is his way of creating saints.
3. Remember to repent daily of sin. That is his way of preserving us as his saints.
4. Remember God's forgiveness in Jesus. That is the evidence of his faithfulness, his guarantee of salvation.
