3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. (Revelation 8:3,4)
Thoughts: All Saints Day (11/1) was to celebrate all the saints who were not celebrated on other days but had gone on to be with the Lord. Everyone is special in God's sight. The prayers of all the saints- that is the prayers of all those who are called "holy", all those who believe and have been sanctified by Jesus and are made holy. "Saint" means one who was sanctified- or made holy. In the ear of God- all prayers are heard. It is not just the prayer of a really good saint, or a special saint in the sight of God. In scripture there are not two classes or seven classes of saints. If you are a saint, then you have a place around the throne of God and your prayers go to the golden altar before the throne of God. In God's eyes, all those who are His children are special. There is not one child who is loved more than the others, and every child is there by the grace of God's second birth.
Prayer: Thank you Lord that I am considered a saint when I believe. Increase my belief that I might live as a saint should live, and pray as a saint should pray.
All Saints Day began when Pope Bonface IV on 5/13/609 who rededicated the Pantheon in Rome (a Temple built to honor all other gods) to honor all other saints. In Rome and later in the British Isles the feast day replaced the day of the fear of restless spirits of the dead (Roman Lemuria, Druid Samhain). Early Christians though celebrated a day of the martyrs that morphed into a day or remembering all those who died with faith. Mexican call it "The Day of the Dead." But All Saints is much more positive- a celebration of those who have faith and are now in the presence of God.
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