Learning the Faith by Heart

Speaking, Praying, and Singing God’s Word Together

The Week of Oct 26 – Nov 2, 2025

Preparing for All Saints’ Day (Observed)

Hymn of the Week: For All the Saints (677)

GLCA Learn by Heart Hymn: These Are the Holy Ten Commands (581:11)

GLCA Catechism Memory: The Tenth Commandment

Bible Verse Memory: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” – Matthew 6:25

Monday: Catechism Bible Story – Matthew 6:25-34 Life does consist of more than food and clothing for the body (Lutheran Catechesis, pg. 68).  It consists of knowing Christ by faith; and to know Christ is to know all of His benefits, including the full forgiveness of our sins, life eternal, a righteous standing before God. The list goes on and on. In Christ, we lack nothing! Why would we ever cover anything our neighbor has?

Tuesday: Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles Simon (not to be confused with Simon who is called Peter) and Jude (not Judas who betrayed Jesus) are both remembered together as apostles, laborers for Christ, and martyrs. They are believed to have been put to death on the same day as brothers in Christ and fellow laborers in the Gospel. These saints were faithful until death, and did not die alone. How does knowing that you are not alone in your witness to Christ give you courage?

Wednesday: First Reading – Revelation 7:9-17 “Saints” are all true believers in Jesus, both on earth and in heaven, both living and dead. Read vv. 9-10. What have they all saints received from the Lord? What are they all confessing in response to what they’ve received? What are they all gazing upon?

Thursday: Holy Gospel – Matthew 5:1-12 In our earthly tension vacillating between saint and sinner, faith and doubt, sacred and profane, we need Jesus to calm our fears, comfort our spirits and forgive our sins. In the midst of our constant struggle as believers, we need to be blessed. Read about the blessings Jesus promises us as we make our way to our eternal home in Matthew 5:1-12.   

Friday: Epistle – 1 John 3:1-3

The special joy of “All Saints Day” is in its celebration of the unity there is between the Church Triumphant (the saints already in Jesus’ “nearer presence”) and the Church Militant (the present and future saints who feebly struggle here under daily crosses). What encouragement do you find knowing that your loved ones who died in the faith are seeing Jesus face to face? According to 1 John 3:3, what is the result of our hope that we too will see Jesus “as He is”?

The Order of Meditation and Prayer

The sign of the cross + may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism 

Invocation 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Verse of the Week 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” – Matthew 6:25

Catechism Memory 

 What is the Tenth Commandment?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

 What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not entice of force away our neighbor’s wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty.  

Bible Reading for the Day (From Upcoming Readings for Sun, Portals of Prayer, or other Daily meditation)

            This is the Word of the Lord. 

            Thanks be to God. 

Apostles’ Creed 

            I believe in the God the Father Almighty…

Hymn of the Week  

For All the Saints (677)

Family Prayers 

For___________________, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.  

Lord’s Prayer