Remembering
all the Faithful Departed
Wis 3:1-9; Rom 5:5-11; Jn 6:37-40 ( C )
“May
the souls of the faithful departed Rest in Peace.”
One of the beautiful
aspects of the Catholic Church is that our history is kept alive in the prayers
of the community of believers. The memorial
of All Souls is part of this history and is still a living reality in our
Church. This commemoration dates back to the eleventh century, with a decree of
St. Odilo of Cluny requiring his monks of Cluny Abbey to spend a day in prayer
for the departed souls. Shortly after this, the universal Church celebrated
this day of prayer for all the faithful who died. In the Fourteenth Century,
the memorial was moved to November 2nd to link it with the Feast of
All Saints on November 1st. The idea is that, just as the saints are
holy in heaven, the souls of the faithful departed are not in heaven but are
preparing to reach heaven by the help of our prayers, mortifications, and the
grace of God. Dante Alighieri, in the Second Book of the Divine Comedy, The
Purgatorio, presents the souls in purgatory as holding themselves back from
climbing the mountain of God until they can accept the fullness of his love,
and the prayers of their loved ones still on earth open them up to God’s love.
Today, in a special way, we
remember our beloved deceased. The profession of faith we continue to make is
the promise on which we base our hope for eternal life. In his death and
Resurrection, Jesus has conquered death for all who believe in him because, “The
souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them”
(Wis 3:1). When we pray in faith for the souls of the faithful departed, we pray
for those whose souls are journeying through purgatory to eternal life in
heaven because Jesus says, “whoever comes to me I will not cast out” (Jn 6:37).
The Catechism teaches
that “all who die in God’s grace, but still imperfectly purified, undergo a
final purification, not punishment, but the fire of divine love (CCC 1030–1032). The saints in heaven, the souls being
purified, and we on earth form one great family, the Communion of Saints”. When
we pray for the dead, we live in this communion as St. John Chrysostom said, “Let
us help and commemorate them… our offerings console them. Our prayers are acts
of mercy that reach beyond the limits of time. Let us help and commemorate them”.
If Job’s sons were purified by his sacrifice (Job 1:5), and the belief of Judah
Maccabee in sin offering for the pardon of the sins of the deceased souls in the
battle (2 Macc 12: 44-45) could please God, why should we doubt that our
offerings for the dead cannot bring God’s mercy for them?
Today, the Holy Mother Church
grants us indulgences for visiting cemeteries, praying for the dead, and
offering the Holy Mass as a sign that our love for the departed beloved is
active and fruitful. In praying for our loved ones and orphan souls, we also
thank them and thank God for the gift of their lives and for all the ways the
Lord has blessed us through them. We entrust our departed loved ones to God in
and through Jesus, who promised us, “I shall raise them on the last day” (Jn
6:40). Every Mass, every Rosary, every act of charity offered for the departed
is like a candle in their darkness, hastening their approach to the LIGHT.
“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let
perpetual light shine upon them”
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