Posted on 11/02/2007 7:44:52 AM PDT by Salvation
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The Commemoration of All
the Faithful Departed
(All Souls)
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Reading 1
Wis 3:1-9
The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Reading II
Rom 6:3-9
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.
Gospel
Jn 6:37-40
Jesus said to the crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
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November 2, 2007
Feast of All Souls
The Church has encouraged prayer for the dead from the earliest times as an act of Christian charity. "If we had no care for the dead," Augustine noted, "we would not be in the habit of praying for them." Yet pre-Christian rites for the deceased kept such a strong hold on the superstitious imagination that a liturgical commemoration was not observed until the early Middle Ages, when monastic communities began to mark an annual day of prayer for the departed members.
In the middle of the 11th century, St. Odilo, abbot of Cluny (France), decreed that all Cluniac monasteries offer special prayers and sing the Office for the Dead on November 2, the day after the feast of All Saints. The custom spread from Cluny and was finally adopted throughout the Roman Church. The theological underpinning of the feast is the acknowledgment of human frailty. Since few people achieve perfection in this life but, rather, go to the grave still scarred with traces of sinfulness, some period of purification seems necessary before a soul comes face-to-face with God. The Council of Trent affirmed this purgatory state and insisted that the prayers of the living can speed the process of purification. Superstition still clung to the observance. Medieval popular belief held that the souls in purgatory could appear on this day in the form of witches, toads or will-o’-the-wisps. Graveside food offerings supposedly eased the rest of the dead. Observances of a more religious nature have survived. These include public processions or private visits to cemeteries and decorating graves with flowers and lights. This feast is observed with great fervor in Mexico. Quote:
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Collect: Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in your Son, whom you raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in his resurrection, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Feast of All Souls
Old Calendar: Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed
"On this day is observed the commemoration of the faithful departed, in which our common and pious Mother the Church, immediately after having endeavored to celebrate by worthy praise all her children who already rejoice in heaven, strives to aid by her powerful intercession with Christ, her Lord and Spouse, all those who still groan in Purgatory, so that they may join as soon as possible the inhabitants of the heavenly city." — Roman Martyrology
Every priest is permitted to say three Masses on this day and it would be a good practice for the laity to attend three Masses and offer them for the Poor Souls.
The Church, after rejoicing yesterday with those of her children who have entered the glory of heaven, today prays for all those who, in the purifying suffering of purgatory await the day when they will be joined to the company of saints. At no place in the liturgy is stated in more striking fashion the mysterious union between the Church triumphant, the Church militant and the Church suffering; at no time is there accomplished in clearer fashion the twofold duty of charity and justice deriving for every Christian from the fact of his incorporation in the mystical Body of Christ. By virtue of the consoling doctrine of the communion of saints the merits and prayers of each one are able to help all; and the Church is able to join her prayer with that of the saints in heaven and supply what is wanting to the souls in purgatory by means of the Mass, indulgences and the alms and sacrifices of her children. The celebration of Mass, the sacrifice of Calvary continued on our altars, has ever been for the Church the principal means of fulfilling towards the dead the great commandment of charity. Masses for the dead are found in the fifth century. But it was St. Odilo, fourth abbot of Cluny, who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints. The practice spread to the rest of Christendom.
Daily in a special Memento in the Canon of the Mass, at which the priest remembers all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord, the priest implores God to grant them a place of happiness, light and peace. Thus there is no Mass in which the Church does not pray for the faithful departed; but today her thoughts are directed towards them in a particular fashion, with the maternal preoccupation of leaving no soul in purgatory without spiritual aid and of grouping them all together in her intercession. By a privilege that Benedict XV's decree has extended to the whole world every priest can today celebrate three Masses; for the liberation of the souls in purgatory the Church multiplies the offering of the sacrifice of Christ, from which she draws forever on behalf of all her children, infinite fruits of redemption.
Things to Do:
The Christian, who must be conscious of and familiar with the idea of death, cannot interiorly accept the phenomenon of the "intolerance of the dead," which deprives the dead of all acceptance in the city of the living. Neither can he refuse to acknowledge the signs of death, especially when intolerance and rejection encourage a flight from reality, or a materialist cosmology, devoid of hope and alien to belief in the death and resurrection of Christ.Some suggested devotions from the Directory
In accordance with time, place and tradition, popular devotions to the dead take on a multitude of forms:
- the novena for the dead in preparation for 2 November, and the octave prolonging it, should be celebrated in accordance with liturgical norms;
- visits to the cemetery; in some places this is done in a community manner on 2 November, at the end of the parochial mission, when the parish priest takes possession of the parish; visiting the cemetery can also be done privately, when the faithful go to the graves of their own families to maintain them or decorate them with flowers and lamps. Such visits should be seen as deriving from the bonds existing between the living and the dead and not from any form of obligation, non-fulfilment of which involves a superstitious fear;
- membership in a confraternity or other pious association whose objects include "burial of the dead" in a the light of the Christian vision of death, praying for the dead, and providing support for the relatives of the dead;
- suffrage for the dead through alms deeds, works of mercy, fasting, applying indulgences, and especially prayers, such as the De profundis, and the formula Requiem aeternam [Eternal Rest], which often accompanies the recitation of the Angelus, the rosary, and at prayers before and after meals.
Deeply rooted cultural elements connoting particular anthropological concepts are to be found among the customs and usages connected with the "cult of the dead" among some peoples. These often spring from a desire to prolong family and social links with the departed. Great caution must be used in examining and evaluating these customs. Care should be taken to ensure that they are not contrary to the Gospel. Likewise, care should be taken to ensure that they cannot be interpreted as pagan residues.Ann Ball elaborates on Day of the Dead.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 50 (51) |
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| God, have mercy on me |
| Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy; in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt. Wash me ever more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know how guilty I am: my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil in your sight. Know this, so that you may give just sentence and an unbiased judgement. See, I was conceived in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me; but you love truth in the heart, and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed will rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins and wipe out all my transgressions; create a pure heart in me, God, put a steadfast spirit into me. Do not send me away from your presence, or withdraw your holy spirit from me; give me again the joy of your salvation, and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit. I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will return to you. Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour, and my voice will glory in your justice. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will proclaim your praise; for you do not delight in sacrifices: if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you. The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse. Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt, Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings; then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar. 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. |
| Canticle | Isaiah 38 |
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| The psalm of Hezekiah on recovering from sickness | |
| I said, in the middle of my days I am going to the gates of the underworld. Where shall I find the remainder of my years? I said, I will not see the Lord God in the land of the living, I will never see another of the inhabitants of the earth. My dwelling-place is taken away, taken far away from me, like the tent of a shepherd. Like a weaver, he has rolled up my life and cut it off from the loom. From morning to night, you have made an end of me. I cried for help till daybreak; like a lion, he has crushed all my bones. From morning to night, you have made an end of me. I twitter like a fledgling sparrow, make noises like a dove. My eyes are weak from looking upward. But you have pulled my soul out of the pit of destruction, you have put all my sins behind you. For after all, the underworld will not proclaim you, nor death praise you; those who go down there do not wait in hope for your faithfulness. It is the living, the living who will proclaim you, as I do today. Fathers will pass on to their children the truth of your faithfulness. Save me, Lord, and to the sound of the harp we will sing to you, all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord. 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. |
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| Psalm 145 (146) |
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| The blessedness of those who hope in the Lord |
| Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life, make music to my God as long as I exist. Do not trust in princes to save you, they are only sons of men. One day their breath will leave them, they will return to the ground; on that day perish all their plans. Happy the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth and all that is in them, who keeps faith for ever, who gives justice to the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord frees prisoners, he gives light to the blind, he raises the fallen. The Lord loves the upright, cares for strangers, sustains orphans and widows; but the wicked he sends astray. The Lord will reign for all ages, your God, O Sion, from generation to generation. 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. |
| Short reading | 1 Thessalonians 4:14 © |
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| We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. 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. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Lord, in your kindness accept our prayers: as our faith looks up to your Son, risen from the dead, so may we receive a more solid hope of the future resurrection of your servants. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
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I Hold the Keys to the Gates of Purgatory
John 11:17-27 Introductory Prayer: Lord, help me to pray well, because I need to let your truths penetrate my heart. Help me to see that only through prayer will I come to believe in you and your teachings with all my heart and be able to make you the center of my life. Petition: Lord, help me to take seriously the gravity of purgatory and the plight of those who end up there. 1. Even God Weeps for Those Who Have Died Today we remember our loved ones who have passed away, just as Mary and Martha remember their brother Lazarus in this passage from the Gospel. It is a good and holy thing to be sad when a loved one dies. Some think that it is a lack of faith to be sad when someone dies. But Jesus does not rebuke Mary and Martha for being sad; instead he tries to console them. Later, when he comes to the tomb himself, Jesus weeps for Lazarus (John 11:35). What a terrible thing death must be: Jesus weeps for Lazarus, even though he knows that in a few moments he will raise Lazarus from the dead. Clearly, we don’t appreciate the true tragedy of death — that God himself would weep for a friend who is dead, all the while knowing he has power over death. 2. You Don’t Want to Go There Often when someone dies, especially if he has suffered much, we are relieved, as if the suffering were over. We are quick to put people in heaven — probably a little too quick. We are not doing them a favor. Most of us, even the best of us, will not go straight to heaven. We will have to spend some time in purgatory, to be cleansed of our attachments and desires toward sinfulness, as well as for any sins for which we have not done sufficient penance. We tend to underestimate purgatory as well, maybe because the people there are assured of getting into heaven. While it is true that people in purgatory experience a joy beyond anything we will experience in this life, they also experience more intense suffering than anything we will experience in this life. The suffering of purgatory is similar to the suffering of hell, and we know we don’t want to experience that. Maybe we have thought of purgatory as nothing more than a long waiting line that we have to stand in until God sees fit to let us in heaven, and the sufferings of purgatory are nothing more than those we experience in the supermarket on a busy day – the boredom of having to wait, the frustration of someone ahead of us taking too long. No. Purgatory is nothing we want our loved ones to experience, if we can help it: nor do we want to go there ourselves, if we can help it. The great thing is: we can help it. 3. Only the Living Hold the Keys to Purgatory What am I willing to do to avoid purgatory? Up until now, have I even thought of it as something to be avoided? Do I realize that all the sacrifices I can make in this life to avoid purgatory do not add up to what it will be like to suffer in purgatory? Do I ever remember that my loved ones may be there now? Do I think there is nothing more I can do for them? Or am I genuinely concerned about the likelihood that they may be in purgatory? Do I realize that my prayers and sacrifices represent the key to release them, and I can use it if I want? God wants me to use the key. On this day when we remember the souls in purgatory, it would be good to do something for those who are there; especially for the ones I love the most. Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, it is so much a part of our culture to put those we love on the shelf once they are gone. We forget that they still continue to exist and may face difficulties in which they need our help. Since purgatory leads to you, it is easy to think of it as a desirable place and to forget the sufferings of those who are there. I am sorry for these attitudes. Help me to remember those I love and to offer up sacrifices, prayers and Masses for them frequently, so they may be with you as soon as possible. Help me to make the choices I need to make in this life, so I can avoid purgatory as much as possible. Resolution: Today I will make a sacrifice for my loved ones in purgatory, remembering that for God, the size of the sacrifice does not count as much as the love with which it is made. |
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| The Roots of All Souls Day | ||
Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin. ~2 Maccabees 12:46
November 2nd marks the Commemoration of All Souls; the day in which the earthly faithful are called to pray for the faithful departed in Purgatory. Often considered connected to Pagan or other ritualistic ceremonies, All Souls Day is, in fact, a practice with roots in the early Church where the names of the faithful departed would often be posted so that Church members could pray for each soul by name.
All Souls Day follows on the heels of All Saints Day, November 1st, which itself is traced back to origins as early as the fourth century when St. Basil of Caesarea invited neighboring dioceses to share relics of martyrs and to join in celebrating those whose lives had been given for the Church. Eventually Pope Urban IV instituted the practice of using All Saints Day as a way to honor all saints, known and unknown, thus acknowledging our limited knowledge of how each person has responded to God's call upon his or her life.
While All Saints Day commemorates the lives of saints, known and unknown, All Souls Day commemorates the souls of all the faithful departed. Requiem Masses, or Masses offered for the dead, are celebrated. Following in the Jewish belief that the just, after death, joined their ancestors, it became a common practice to offer prayers and oblations so that their "sleep" with the Father would be one of peace, thus "eternal rest." St. Paul, himself a Jew who would have understood this belief and practice, referred to this when he spoke of those who are asleep in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:18). Indeed, we read of him praying for the dead when he says of Onesiphorus, who has died, May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day (2 Timothy 18).
Requiem Masses follow a particular format. For instance, the Celebrant for Requiem Masses wears black vestments as this color sincerely reflects the mourning of the Church proper towards its faithful departed. If All Souls Day falls on a Sunday, it is moved to the next day. The joyful and intrinsic nature of Sunday as a day of resurrection should not be diminished by the mournful prayers offered for the faithful departed. Nor should the faithful departed be deprived of the sacrificial nature and benefit of the Requiem Masses. Thus a Sunday All Souls Day becomes a Monday All Souls Day.
At the heart of All Souls Day in the Catholic Church is the belief in Purgatory and the very real likelihood that most of us, even in God's grace, will leave this earth in such a condition that we are not yet ready to experience the beatific vision. Catholics follow the Council of Trent's proclamation which in part states, that there is a purgatory, and that the souls therein are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar. The Council of Trent's declaration on the existence of Purgatory and the nature of the relationship between the faithful living and the faithful departed is, interestingly, a very clear and significant portion of the Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur. After the Torah portion of Yom Kippur services, Yizkor is said. Yizkor, which means "remember," reflects the Jewish belief that a soul is unable to perform mitzvahs and thus relies on the merit gained through the charitable acts of the living. God calls His people to perform good deeds for one another.
So while we do not believe, nor have we ever believed, that by our works we can attain salvation for ourselves or our brethren, we do believe in responding to the call upon us to pray for one another, both living and dead. We follow St. Paul's example and understand that it is with humility and honor that we join our sufferings with Christ.
Consider, also, the second prayer of the Jewish Amidah (morning prayers), or Gevurot, which extols God's great mercy on the dead, His ability to resurrect, and His mercy upon the dead as they sleep.
You are eternally mighty, my Master, the Resuscitator of the dead are You; abundantly able to save.
He sustains the living with kindness, resuscitates the dead with abundant mercy, supports the fallen, heals the sick, releases the confined, and maintains His faith to those asleep in the dust. Who is like You, O Master of mighty deeds, and who is comparable to You, O King Who causes death and restores life and makes salvation sprout!
And You are faithful to resuscitate the dead. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who resuscitates the dead.
Weaving ourselves back in time, thousands of years before Christ, we are able to find the roots of our practice of praying for the dead. While we understand and fully embrace the salvation that is only available to us through Jesus Christ, we also understand His call upon our lives to join our meager offerings to His magnificent Cross and ask that He consider these offerings valuable for the poor souls of Purgatory. And so, on this All Souls Day, let us remember our faithful departed and ask that God's mercy be upon them.
Imitation of Christ -- Foreword [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1,1 - Imitating Jesus Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1,2, Having A Humble Opinion of Self [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 3, The Doctrine of Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 4, Prudence in Action [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1, 5, Reading the Holy Scripture [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 6, Unbridled Affections [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 7, Avoiding False Hope and Pride [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 8, Shunning Over- Familiarity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 9, Obedience and Subjection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 10, Avoiding Idle Talk [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 11, Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 12, The Value of Adversity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 13, Resisting Temptation [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1. 14, Avoiding Rash Judgment [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 15, Works Done in Charity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 16, Bearing With the Faults of Others [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1. 17, Monastic Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 18, The Example Set Us by the Holy Fathers [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 19, The Practices of a Good Religious [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 20, The Love of Solitude and Silence [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 21, Sorrow of Heart [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 22, Thoughts on the Misery of Man [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 23, Thoughts on Death [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 24, Judgment and the Punishment of Sin [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 25, Zeal in Amending Our Lives [Devotional]
Book Two -- The Interior Life
Imitation of Christ: 2, 1, (26), Meditation [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 2, (27) Humility [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 3, (28) Goodness and Peace in Man [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 4, (29) Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 5, (30) Ourselves [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 6, (31) The Joy of a Good Conscience [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 7. (32) Loving Jesus Above All Things [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 8, (33) The Intimate Friendship of Jesus [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 9, (34) Wanting No Share in Comfort [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 10, (35) Appreciating God's Grace [Devcotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 11, (36) Few Love the Cross of Jesus [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 12, (37) The Royal Road of the Holy Cross [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,1, (38) The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 2, (39) Truth Speaks Inwardly without the Sound of Words [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 3, (40) Listen Humbly to the Words of God. Many Do Not Heed Them[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 4, (41) We Must Walk Before God in Humility and Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 5, (42) The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 6, (43) The Proving of a True Lover {Devotional}
Imitation of Christ: 3, 7, (44) Grace Must Be Hidden Under the Mantle of Humility [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 8, (45) Self-Abasement in the Sight of God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 9, (46) All Things Should be Referred to God as their Last End [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 10 (47) To Despise the World and Serve God is Sweet [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 11 (48) The Longings of Our Hearts Must Be Examined & Moderated [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 12, (49) Acquiring Patience in the Fight against Concupiscence [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,13,(50) The Obedience of One Humbly Subject to...Jesus Christ [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,14(51)Consider...Judgments of God Lest You Become Proud...Deeds [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 15 (52) How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,16, (53) True Comfort is to be Sought in God Alone [Devotional]
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| God Will Help Us Finish, If We Let Him | ||
Feast of All Souls
Sooner or later most of us have the experience of watching a loved one move through his or her final days and then pass from this earth. It can be a tremendously sad process for those who are about to be left behind and who know in advance the loneliness that will be theirs. But in most cases there’s a marvelous and touching aspect of the process as well, and that is watching our dying friend progressively letting go of all sorts of things that don’t count, old baggage in the form of grievances, fears, doubts, and so much more. It’s a grace for the bystanders to watch that happen, and it presses us to let go of our own baggage sooner rather than later.
Yet, even the best of us, even the saints, leave this life with at least a little bit of unfinished business and a bit of left over baggage. And that’s why we Catholics pray for the dead. Our prayers are not aimed at changing God’s mind about our departed friends. God’s mind doesn’t need any changing. His love for us is unchanging, and he’s always ready and waiting to welcome home even the worst of us.
No, our prayers are for the deceased themselves, that they will relax in the Lord and let the Lord help them let go of what remains of their old baggage, and help them finish what is unfinished in them. For those whose hearts are loving and trusting of the Lord, it will come naturally to open their hearts and let the Lord in. For those of us whose hearts are more ambivalent and in the habit of withholding trust, the work will be more difficult.
So hold in prayer all the deceased whom you love, and look to your own heart, that it may be open and welcoming to each of God’s people now. This day and every day are dress rehearsals for that final day when you will give back your heart to the One who gave it to you.
May your heart be true and open and ready this day and always.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 120 (121) |
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| The guardian of the people |
| I shall lift my eyes to the hills: where is my help to come from? My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip: he will not doze, your guardian. Behold, he will not doze or sleep, the guardian of Israel. The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade; he is at your right hand. By day the sun will not strike you; nor the moon by night. The Lord will guard you from all harm; the Lord will guard your life. The Lord will guard your coming and your going both now and for ever. 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. |
| Psalm 129 (130) |
|---|
| Out of the depths |
| Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears listen out for the voice of my pleading. If you took notice of our transgressions, Lord – Lord, who would be left? But with you is forgiveness, and for this we revere you. I rely on you, Lord, my spirit relies on your promise; my soul hopes in the Lord, more than the watchman for daybreak. More than the watchman for daybreak, let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is kindness and abundant redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all its transgressions. 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. |
| Canticle | Philippians 2 |
|---|---|
| Christ, God's servant | |
| Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature, did not try to seize equality with God for himself; but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave, and became like a man – not in appearance only, for he humbled himself by accepting death – even death on a cross. For this, God has raised him high, and given him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord”, to the glory of God the Father. 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. |
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| Short reading | 1 Corinthians 15:55 - 57 © |
|---|---|
| Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
|---|---|
| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. 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. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Lord, in your kindness accept our prayers: as our faith looks up to your Son, risen from the dead, so may we receive a more solid hope of the future resurrection of your servants. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
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Friday, November 02, 2007 Meditation Wisdom 3:1-9 All Souls The faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect. (Wisdom 3:9) It’s not very pleasant to think about death. If we were not people of faith, recalling our departed loved ones would bring us nothing but sadness. We’d see their passing as “affliction” and “utter destruction” (Wisdom 3:2-3). There would be nothing beyond this life to offer us any consolation and encouragement—all we could really say is, “When you’re dead, you’re dead!” But as Christians, we know that such an attitude has no place in our hearts. Especially today, on this feast of All Souls, God is inviting us to put aside sadness and share in his joy. As today’s first reading tells us, all those who have left this world in the friendship of God are in the hands of a loving Father. Sorrow and tears can no longer touch them; they are at peace now because all their questions have been answered, and they can live with Jesus forever. Don’t let this day pass by as just another feast day! Take a moment to remember your friends, family members, and acquaintances who are no longer with you. If you can, try making a list of their names, and recall all the things you loved about each of them. Recall the kindnesses they showed you, and the times you laughed and cried together. Thank God for bringing them into your life, and for the work they did in building his kingdom. Praise him for the ways they are still influencing you, even now, to become a holier person. On this day of happy rejoicing, let’s pray that all of our departed loved ones experience the fullness of joy in God’s presence. Imagine them dressed in white robes, standing before the throne of God. Picture them praising and worshipping Jesus with all the choirs of angels, in the company of all the saints. What a beautiful song they must be singing as they behold their Creator, Savior, and Lord! “Father, thank you for making me a part of your own family. I praise you for giving me a great cloud of witnesses who can intercede for me in heaven. Have mercy on all the departed—may they all behold your glory!” Psalm 23:1-6; Romans 5:5-11; John 6:37-40 |
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To pray for the dead is "a holy and pious thought," not only to hasten their entry into heaven, but especially to express our faith in the resurrection (2 Mc 12:45). The resurrection is the essence of Christianity. "If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ Himself has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is void of content and your faith is empty too" (1 Cor 15:13-14). Satan has bribed people to lie about Jesus' resurrection (Mt 28:12). He's recruited religious leaders to cast doubts on the resurrection by asking "nonsensical" questions about it (see Lk 20:33; 1 Cor 15:35-36). Satan confused the Corinthians (1 Cor 15:12), Thessalonians (1 Thes 4:13), and Ephesians about the resurrection (2 Tm 2:18). Amid this demonic whirlwind of confusion, the Lord raises up people to make clear and practical expressions of their faith in the resurrection. When we pray for the "poor souls," we clearly show that they have risen. When we ask the saints who have died to pray for us, they must be risen. When we celebrate Sunday, the Resurrection Day, as the first day of the week and the center of our lives, we proclaim the resurrection. When we don't work or shop on Sunday, we are proclaiming the resurrection with power (see Acts 4:33). When we focus our year on the fifty-day Easter celebration, we profess our faith in Jesus, "the Resurrection and the Life" (Jn 11:25).One Bread, One Body
<< Friday, November 2, 2007 >>
All Souls
2 Maccabees 12:43-46
1 Corinthians 15:51-57Psalm 23
John 11:17-27
View Readings
PROCLAIMING THE RESURRECTION
"He acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view." —2 Maccabees 12:43
Prayer: Lord, may my celebrations of All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day, Sundays, saints' days, and the Easter season show that I believe You are risen from the dead (see Rm 10:9).
Promise: "Death is swallowed up in victory." —1 Cor 15:54
Praise: Twenty-five years after her mother's death, Georgia still has Masses celebrated for her.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.
| This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited. |
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 87 (88) |
|---|
| The prayer of one gravely ill |
| I cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night. |
| Lord God, my saviour, I have cried out to you by day and by night. Let my prayer come before you: turn your ear to my request. For my soul is full of evils, my life has come close to its end. I am counted with those who go down to the pit: I am left without help. I am one of the dead, like the murdered who sleep in their tombs, who lie there forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrust me down into the pit, to the gloom and the shadow of death. Your anger weighs heavy upon me; you have drowned me under your waves. You have taken my friends away from me: you have made me hateful in their sight, I am shut in, I may not go out. My eyes are weak from my sufferings. I have called to you, Lord, all the day; I have stretched out my hands to you. Is it for the dead that you perform your wonders? Will the ghosts rise up and proclaim you? In the tomb, will they tell of your kindness? Will they tell of your faithfulness in the place of the lost? Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of oblivion? And so I have called out to you, Lord, and in the morning my prayer will come before you. With what purpose, Lord, do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? I am poor; from my youth I have been dying; I have borne the terrors you sent, I am lost in confusion. Your anger has overrun me, your terrors have broken me: they have flowed round me like water, they have besieged me all the day long. You have taken my friends and those close to me: all I have left is shadows. 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. |
| I cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night. |
| Reading | (Jeremiah 14:9) |
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| You, Lord, are in our midst, and we are called by your name; therefore do not abandon us, Lord, our God. | |
| Short Responsory | ? |
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| Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. |
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| Canticle | Nunc Dimittis |
|---|---|
| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. 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. |
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| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Prayer | |
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| Let us pray. Lord, let us be so united with your only Son that we become worthy to rise with him into new life, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen. |
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| May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. |
| A M E N |
Here we go again!
You remind me: I need to do more conversion stories.
Historical fact can be part of a Caucus Thread per the Religion Moderator.
I am just happy P. people participate in Catholic devotions.
From: Wisdom 3:1-9
The death of the righteous
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Commentary:
3:1-4:20. This passage describes at some length the contrasting situations of the
righteous and the ungodly in this life, in death, and beyond the grave. The author
has consoling things to say to the righteous as regards afflictions; they have every
reason to hope. But evildoers he describes as foolish; theirs is a fundamental
error which will cause them grief now; any suffering they experience will do them
no good; their death is grievous and so is what lies beyond it: “Two possibilities
are laid open to us at the same time: life and death – and each person will come
to the end that befits him. Life and death are like type types of coin, one belongs
to God and the other to this world, each with its own hallmark: unbelievers deal in
the currency of this world, and those who have remained faithful through love
carry the coin of God the Father, which is marked with Jesus Christ. If we are not
ready to die for him or to imitate his passion, we will not have his life within us”
(St Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Magnesios, 5, 2).
3:1-9. These very poetic lines convey very well the notion of the reward that
awaits the just in the after-life, but they are not very specific about it. The author
uses expressions that correspond to the time in history and Revelation in which
he lives, but they do enable us to get an idea of the state of the blessed: “The
souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and no torment will ever touch
them” (v. 1); the righteous dead are “at peace” (v. 3), that is, in the sphere proper
to God; they can be sure of immortality, athanasia (v. 4). They will abide in the
Kingdom of God forever and share in God’s power to judge and rule (v. 8; cf. Mt
19:28) – a pointer to their power of intercession. One could say that the most
encouraging line of all is, “the faithful will abide with him in love” (v. 9). Still to
come is the explicit New Testament revelation which tells us that the blessed
“shall see God as he is” (1 Jn 3:2), not as in a (dull) mirror but “face to face”; they
will know him as he knows them (cf. 1 Cor 13:12) and they will be with Christ for-
ever in heaven (cf. 1 Thess 4:17).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Romans 6:3-9
Baptism (Continuation)
[5] For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall
certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. [6] We know
that our old self was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might
be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. [7] For He
who has died is freed from sin. [8] But if we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with Him. [9] For we know that
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer
has dominion over him.
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Commentary:
1-11. The universal dominion of sin, which began with the sin of Adam,
is not the only event to be reckoned with. When sin reached its full
extent, the grace brought by Jesus Christ came in superabundance.
Through Baptism this grace reaches each of us and frees us from the
control of sin. When we receive this Sacrament we die: that is to say,
our blameworthiness is destroyed, we renounce sin once and for all, and
are born again into a new life.
“The Lord”, St. Ambrose tells the newly baptized, “who wanted His
benefactions to endure, the serpent’s plans to be turned to naught, and
the harm done to be put right, delivered a sentence to mankind: ‘You
are dust, and to dust you shall return’ (Genesis 3:19), and made man
subject to death [...]. The remedy was given him: man would die and
rise again [...]. You ask me how? [...] Pay attention. So that in
this world too the devil’s snare would be broken, a rite was instituted
whereby man would die, being alive, and rise again, being alive [...].
Through immersion in water the sentence is blotted out: ‘You are dust,
and to dust you shall return’” (”De Sacramentis”, II, 6).
This passage of the epistle, which reveals the key truths concerning
Baptism, also reminds us of the profound meaning of this rite which
Christ established, its spiritual effects in Christians and its far-reaching
effects with respect to the Christian life. Thus, we can apply to
Baptism what St. Thomas Aquinas says about all the sacraments:
“Three aspects of sanctification may be considered—its very cause,
which is Christ’s Passion; its form, which is grace and the virtues;
and its ultimate end, which is eternal life. And all these are signified
by the sacraments. Consequently, a sacrament is a sign which
is both a reminder of the past, that is, of the Passion of Christ, and
an indication of what is effected in us by Christ’s Passion, and a
foretelling and pledge of future glory” (”Summa Theologiae”, III, q.
60, a. 3).
In the specific case of Baptism, the various things which the Sacrament
implies carry a special nuance—a new birth which presupposes a
symbolic death. It reproduces in us not only the Passion, Death and
burial of Christ, symbolized by immersion in water (verses 3-4, 6), but
also new life, the life of grace which pours into the soul, enabling
the person to share in the Resurrection of Christ (verses 4-5). This
sharing in Christ’s Resurrection to immortal life is a kind of seed
which will ultimately produce the glorious resurrection of our bodies.
The baptized person is, therefore, someone newly created, someone
born into a new life, someone who has moved out of darkness into light.
The white garment used at Baptism symbolizes innocence and grace;
the burning candle, the light of Christ—two symbols the Church uses
in the baptismal liturgy to signify what is happening.
Thus, in Baptism, God “removes every trace of sin, whether original or
personal” (”The Rite of Baptism”, Introduction, 5) and also remits the
penalties that these sins incur. On being baptized in the name of the
Three Divine Persons, the Christian is shown God the Father’s love for
him (a love he has not merited), is given a share in the Paschal
Mystery of the Son, and to him is communicated new life in the Spirit
(cf. “Instruction on Infant Baptism”, 20 October 1980, 9). Baptism,
which is also described as “the door of the spiritual life”, unites a
person to Christ and to the Church by means of grace, which makes
us children of God and heirs to Heaven. Finally, in addition to the
infused virtues and supernatural gifts, the person is given “the graces
necessary to live in a Christian way, and on his soul is impressed the
sacramental character which makes him a Christian for evermore”
(”St. Pius X Catechism”, 250).
Baptism, which confers a “character”, that is, a kind of seal
confirming our Christian calling, gives us a share in Christ’s
priesthood and makes us capable of receiving the other sacraments.
4. It is easier to grasp the symbolism of burial and resurrection if one
remembers that in earlier times, and particularly in the apostolic period,
Baptism was usually administered by immersion in water—in some
cases by total immersion, up to three times, with one Person of the
Blessed Trinity being invoked each time. “They asked you, ‘Do you
believe in God the Father almighty?’ You said, ‘I believe’, and you
were immersed, that is, you were buried. Again they asked you, ‘Do
you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Cross?’ You said,
‘I believe’, and you were again immersed. This time you have been
buried with Christ, and he who is buried with Christ rises with Christ.
For a third time you were asked, ‘Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?’
You said, ‘I believe’, and for a third time you were immersed, so
that by this three-fold confession you might be loosed of your many
attachments to your past life” (St. Ambrose, “De Sacramentis”, II, 7).
Today Baptism is normally administered by pouring water over the head—
a method also used in apostolic times and which gradually came into
general use because it was found more convenient.
5. Just as the ingraft and the plant form a single thing and make a
single principle of life, Christians by being grafted onto or
incorporated into Christ through Baptism form one single thing with Him
and begin to draw on His divine life. We are also “united with Him in
a death like His”: Christ suffered physical death; we, in Baptism, die
spiritually to the life of sin. St. John Chrysostom explains this as
follows: “Baptism is for us what the Cross and burial were for Christ;
but with this difference: the Savior died physically, He was physically
buried, whereas we ought to die spiritually. That is why the Apostle
does not say we are ‘united with Him with His death’, but ‘in a death
LIKE HIS’” (”Hom. on Rom.”, 10).
9-10. Jesus Christ chose to bear all the consequences of sin, even
though He was sinless. His voluntary death on the Cross and His
glorious Resurrection broke the bonds of death, for Himself and for all
His own. Death no longer shall have dominion: “[Christ died] that
through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that
is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject
to lifelong bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15). And as a consequence He won,
for His own human nature and for us, a new life.
In all those who have been baptized these same events in Christ’s life
are in some way reproduced. “Our past sins have been wiped out by
the action of grace. Now, so as to stay dead to sin after Baptism,
personal effort is called for, although God’s grace continues to be with
us, providing us with great help” (Chrysostom, “Hom. on Rom.”, 11).
This personal effort might be encapsulated in a resolution: “May we
never die through sin; may our spiritual resurrection be eternal”
([St] J. Escriva, “Holy Rosary”, 1st Glorious Mystery).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: John 6:37-40
The Discourse on the Bread of Life (Continuation)
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Commentary:
37-40. Jesus clearly reveals that He is the one sent by the Father. This is
something St. John the Baptist proclaimed earlier on (Jn 3:33-36), and Jesus
Himself stated it in His dialogue with Nicodemus (Jn 3:17-21) and announced
publicly to the Jews in Jerusalem (Jn 5:20-30). Since Jesus is the one sent
by the Father, the bread of life come down from Heaven to give life to the world,
everyone who believes in Him has eternal life, for it is God’s will that everyone
should be saved through Jesus Christ. These words of Jesus contain three
mysteries: 1) that of faith in Jesus Christ, which means “going to Jesus”,
accepting His miracles (signs) and His words; 2) the mystery of the resurrection
of believers, something which begins in this life through faith and becomes fully
true in Heaven; 3) the mystery of predestination, the will of our Father in Heaven
that all men be saved. These solemn words of our Lord fill the believer with hope.
St. Augustine, commenting on vv. 37 and 38, praises the humility of Jesus, the
perfect model for the humility of the Christian: Jesus chose not to do His own will
but that of the Father who sent Him: “Humbly am I come, to teach humility am I
come, as the master of humility am I come; he who comes to Me is incorporated
in Me; he who comes to Me,becomes humble; he who cleaves to Me will be
humble, for he does not his will but God’s” (”In Ioann. Evang.”, 25, 15 and 16).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
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