Cycle A
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
(All Souls)
2 November 2008
Life After Life
Wisdom 3:1-9
“The souls of the just are in the hands of God . . . they are in peace.”
Psalm 23:1-6
“The Lord is my shepherd,” and even though I know I will die, I am not afraid because he is at my side to guide me.
Romans 6:3-9
Baptism is an incorporation into Christ. He had to pass through death into new life. We must do the same. “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we are also to live with him.”
John 6:37-40
Believe in Jesus and experience new and eternal life.
Today we remember and honor our family, friends, and church members who have passed from this life into new life with Christ. We call this commemoration of all the faithful departed, All Souls Day. This year is one of the few years when November 2nd, All Souls Day, falls on a Sunday. Usually we only hear these readings at funerals - which can be sad for us. But today we celebrate the lives of those folks who were part of our lives and perhaps were a positive influence in our lives.
Our first reading today from the Book of WISDOM assures us of life after death. It is one of the clearest statements in the Old Testament about God’s assurance of eternal life for the just. Physical death was seen as a punishment for sin and as final destruction. But this text from Wisdom says that only the foolish view death as the final punishment.
Because God loves us, physical death is just a small price to pay for a new life filled with joy and peace. God’s mercy and grace are with us. All who trust in him and are faithful to him will live “with him in love.” Our first reading today emphatically proclaims life after death.
We respond with PSALM 23. In this psalm we recognize that God is our shepherd-king. He is the one who guides us and nourishes us with spiritual food. We are encouraged by his strength and even though we know we will die some day, we are not afraid because God is with us.
In his letter to the ROMANS, Paul says that when we were baptized we entered into the life of Christ. We became members of the Church which is the body of Christ. Just as Christ had to die before he could experience resurrection and live a new life, we must do the same. In the Bible death and sin are connected. Because of the first sin death came into the world. So by passing through death sin is eliminated.
Saint Paul says that once sin and death are conquered we pass into a new life with Christ where there is no more sin or death. Early in our church history baptism was done by complete immersion into the water. The person being baptized went completely under the water and then came back out and put on a new white robe. This was the symbol of dying and rising to a new life - one without sin.
The idea here is that in baptism we die to sin and begin living a new life. That means we need to act in a non-sinful way. We need to act as Jesus did with love. Paul tells the Romans, and us, that if we live as Christ did, we will also rise to new life with him when we experience physical death. The pain of death gives way to the joy of a new life with no more sin or death or pain - only joy.
Our Gospel by JOHN today tells us that God wants all people to be saved - to be raised to new life with Christ. Jesus says the way to new and eternal life is to believe in him and trust in God. To believe in Jesus and to trust God means to live with integrity. It means to practice justice, love and forgiveness.
This forgiveness and love idea does not seem like the practical way to live in our world today. It takes real trust in God. But Jesus promises that if we live his way of life we will experience deep internal spiritual peace. We will also be “raised up on the last day” to an eternal life of joy.
Our liturgy today is all about the certainty of the continuation of life even after what we call death. It tells us that the way we live our life on earth will continue after we experience physical death. If you are deceitful and selfish and mean-spirited, that way of life will continue after your death - in what we refer to as hell. If you believe in Jesus and live a Christian life of love, that way of life will also continue after your death - in what we call heaven.
Today we remember all those who have passed through death to a new life. We remember our family members and friends. We remember those who influenced us in this life - teachers, coaches, religious sisters, priests, deacons, mentors, neighbors.
In the Apostles Creed we say that we believe in the “communion of saints.” In our Catholic tradition this is not just the canonized saints we usually think of when we hear the word “saints.” The communion of saints refers to all the members of the Church - to all those who are united with Christ through the Holy Spirit.
The communion of saints is the community “of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven. . .” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #962) We believe that we are all spiritually connected so that what each one does affects all of us. This is why we pray for those who have died. Our prayers for someone can be helpful to that person whether they are living on earth or living in the next life.
The month of November and especially today on this feast of All Souls, is the time of the year set aside to remember all our loved ones and community members who have passed on to new life in Christ. It is a good time to visit the graves of our loved ones and remember how they affected our lives. Pray for them and thank God for the gift of their presence in your life.
The life you live today will continue after you die. It can be a life of separation from God, the source of all life and love. It can be real death. It can be hell. Or it can be a life of deep inner peace, love and joy united with Christ. It can be full-life. It can be heaven. You are created with free will. You can choose death or you can choose life. Whatever you do will make a difference.
Think about it, pray about it.
Copyright © 2008 by Fr. Michael A Librandi
NOTE:
To read the Sunday readings on line click on the following link - or copy it to your browser's address bar.
http://www.usccb.org/nab/110208.shtml
To listen to the readings on line go to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' podcast. To get there click the following link - or copy it to your browser's address bar. You will need to scroll down on the right side of the window to find the correct date.
http://www.podcastalley.com/player/player.php?pod_id=43329
