The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
I sometimes forget how much of an influence my parents, grandparents, and friends have played in my development as a Christian. It’s often easy for me to overlook the influence of other Christians because that influence is so fundamental to who I have become. At times like this I realize the importance of having people in my life who serve as role models for the life of faith. That may be one reason I find myself resonating so much with the scripture readings for today.
After celebrating All Saints yesterday, today on the feast of All Souls the Church commemorates all of the faithful departed. The saints truly are models of holiness and devotion, yet sometimes it is difficult for us to identify with them precisely because they are so advanced in their faith. The feast of All Souls thus presents us with the opportunity to call to mind all of faithful Christians who have gone before us. This includes the many people—including relatives and friends—who have led lives of holiness and deep commitment and who have served as an inspiration to others. These are people who may not be officially recognized by the church as saints, but yet who have had a deep impact on others through their Christian witness. Celebrating this feast reminds us that each of us is important to God and to other Christians. We can play an important role in encouraging and helping others to live a life of faith.
One of the themes of the readings for today is hope in the face of death. It is possible to fear death too little. Fear of death is a natural response to physical danger. Without fear of death we would take too many foolish risks. Yet it is also possible to fear death too much. We fear it too much when we think that there is nothing beyond death, that the natural ending of our lives is the limit of our existence. This way of thinking has led many people to seek happiness through the acquisition of wealth, power, and glory rather than in God. This way of thinking distorts the real meaning of our lives, for we were not created only to meet our own selfish desires but instead to live for what is truly good for us and other people.
The scripture readings for today point out that the proper attitude towards death is to see it as a stage in the process of our redemption. If we die in Christ, we will be resurrected into new life with Christ (Romans 6: 3-9). Yet, this hope is a result not of our own merits but of God’s grace. Paul reminds us that Jesus Christ is our only hope (Roman 5: 5-11): “while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5: 8). And Jesus reassures us in the gospel reading that it is God’s will that those who remain faithful to him will be resurrected from the dead (John 6: 39). This is indeed a great hope.
How then should we live in the face of the hope of the resurrection? This is a question that each of us must answer in our own lives. But taking the time today to reflect on the witness of the faithful through the ages can help us to see what it means for us today.
Joel Schickel