The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day)

Today's Mass Readings

Today, the Church commemorates all the faithful departed.

In the first reading from the book of Wisdom, there is a contrast drawn between the wise judgment of the just and the foolish judgment of the wicked. The wicked, the book of Wisdom says, refuse to acknowledge life after death (Wis 3:2). By doing so there are two things they reject – God, and the need to live a righteous life. Their logic, then, is very simple – if there is no afterlife there must not be a God and if there is no God, then there is no demand to live a virtuous life in the here and now. The wise, on the other hand, understand the truth. They live because of the grace and mercy of God. They abide in the love of God (Wis 3:8). Paul in his letter to the Romans tells us about the love of God which has been poured into our heart (Rom 5:5). “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). It is because of this love that Jesus says in today’s gospel reading, “I will not reject anyone who come to me” (Jn 6:37). It is because of this love that Jesus says, “I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day” (Jn 6:39). This is scripture’s way of saying, that because those who believe in God are subject to the wickedness of the wicked, because we often are victims of evil, that God has prepared for us a future where we will be in total peace.

Today, as we remember our faithful departed, we remember many things: first, we remember those of the departed who have tried to live just and truthful lives. We remember them who loved God and perhaps even suffered for it.

Second, we remember the love of God that invites all into eternal peace. Jesus will not reject anyone who comes to him and this love is our hope. God’s grace, mercy, and love combines with our faith in God, our striving for the good, our love for virtue, our hope in eternity and gives give us the consolation we need.

And third, we remember those who in our memory failed to live up to God’s calling. We remember that while God is just, God is also merciful. We pray that God have mercy on all those we loved and we are afraid that they did not live virtuous lives. I would like to believe that the love of God has not limits.

Let us, then, with much confidence find our comfort and our consolation in the love of God. In the final analysis, that is our only hope.

Fr. Satish Joseph