Monday 2 November 2026 - This is our God

Monday 2 November 2026
Today is Monday the 2nd of November, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, in the 31st week of Ordinary Time.

Perhaps there has been a time in your life when you refused to be comforted for grief, or pain, or loss. On this day of commemoration, we gently entrust those who have died into the loving care of the God of love.

The Phoenix Consort sings, ‘In Rama a voice is heard’, by David Fletcher: ‘In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, would not be comforted.’

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children, would not be comforted.
Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears:
for thy work shall be rewarded, and they shall come again.
Today’s reading is from the Prophet Isaiah.

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-matured wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear.
And he will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the sheet that is spread over all nations;
he will swallow up death for ever.
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.
It will be said on that day,
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Isaiah offers us a beautiful vision. A feast prepared by God. A holy mountain where people gather in freedom, peace and joy. As you begin this time of prayer, take a moment to notice the gifts God has already placed in your life. What blessings come to mind? What small signs of his care have you received recently?

In this reading, God removes what covers and burdens his people. He sets them free. Is there something that weighs upon you today? An anxiety, an attachment, a habit, or a fear that keeps you from living more freely? Bring it gently before God. Let him look upon it with you.

As you listen to the reading a second time, notice the tenderness of God's promise. He wipes away every tear. He knows the deepest longings of every human heart. As you hear these words again, what stirs within you? Is there a place in your life where you long for God's comfort, healing, or hope?
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-matured wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear.
And he will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the sheet that is spread over all nations;
he will swallow up death for ever.
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.
It will be said on that day,
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
The people in Isaiah's vision rejoice because God has been faithful to them. They recognise that he has been with them all along. As this time of prayer draws to a close, speak with God as you would with a friend. What would you like to say to him today? What would you like to ask of him?
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be
World without end
Amen