lectionary.com

Ordinary Time · All Souls: Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed · Year C

Wisdom 3:1-9 or 4:7-15

The Souls of the Righteous Are in God's Hand

November 2, 2028

The Right Hand of God Protecting the Faithful against the Demons, Jean Fouquet
The Right Hand of God Protecting the Faithful against the Demons, Jean Fouquet, c. 1452–1460The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Robert Lehman Collection)
Above Paris and Notre-Dame the hand of God reaches out of a swirl of heaven over a crowd of the faithful kneeling at prayer, while demons scatter across the sky.But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them.Jean FouquetThe great French painter of the 1400s, court artist to Charles VII, who illuminated this leaf for the Hours of Étienne Chevalier.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Robert Lehman Collection)The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, one of the largest art museums in the world.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Robert Lehman Collection)
Roman Lectionary
GospelMatt. 5:1-12aMt 5:1-12aAlt. GospelMatt. 11:25-30Mt 11:25-30 or25:31-46 orLuke 7:11-17Lk 7:11-17 or23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a or24:13-16, 28-35 orJohn 5:24-29Jn 5:24-29 or6:37-40, 6:51-59 or11:17-27, 11:32-45 or14:1-6
Second ReadingRom. 5:5-11Rom 5:5-11 or5:17-21Alt. 2nd ReadingRom. 6:3-9Rom 6:3-9 or8:14-23 or8:31b-35, 37-39 or14:7-9, 10c-12 or1 Cor. 15:20-281 Cor 15:20-28 or15:51-57 or2 Cor. 4:14-5:12 Cor 4:14-5:1 or5:1, 6-10 orPhil. 3:20-21Phil 3:20-21 or1 Thess. 4:13-181 Thes 4:13-18 or2 Tim. 2:8-132 Tm 2:8-13
First ReadingWis. 3:1-9Wis 3:1-9 or4:7-15Alt. 1st ReadingIsa. 25:6-9Is 25:6-9
Responsorial PsalmPs. 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6Alt. PsalmPs. 25:6, 7b, 17-18, 20-21Ps 25:6, 7b, 17-18, 20-21 or27:1, 4, 7, 8b, 9a, 13-14

Overview & Insights

"The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them." (Wisdom 3:1)

The passage teaches that the souls of the just rest in God's hand, safe from torment. Though in the eyes of the foolish they seemed to die, they are at peace, and having been disciplined a little they will receive great good, for God tested them and found them worthy of himself.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: Wisdom 3:1-9 or 4:7-15

Commentary

Wisdom of Solomon 3, Verse-by-Verse CommentaryWis 3, Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight

Works through the chapter's picture of the righteous dead at rest verse by verse.

Wisdom 3, Haydock CommentaryWis 3, Haydock Commentary Haydock Commentary

A classic Catholic (Douay-Rheims) note-by-note reading of the chapter.

Wisdom 4, Haydock CommentaryWis 4, Haydock Commentary Haydock Commentary

Covers the chapter's second reading option, on a virtuous life brought to early completion.

Wisdom of Solomon 3, Parallel TextsWis 3, Parallel Texts BibleHub

Side-by-side English versions of the chapter for close word comparison.

Background & Word Study

The Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9The Wis 3:1-9 Sefaria

Read the passage in Sefaria's library alongside the wider Second Temple wisdom corpus.

The Wisdom of Solomon 4:7-15The Wis 4:7-15 Sefaria

The text of the chapter's second reading option.

Wisdom of Solomon, Book OverviewWis, Book Overview BibleProject

A short video walkthrough of the book's structure and themes.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Matthew 5:1-12a
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.