All Souls’ Day is a day specially set apart that we may
remember and pray for our dear ones who have gone for their eternal reward and
who are currently in a state of ongoing purification.
Ancient belief: 1) People of all religions have
believed in the immortality of the soul, and have prayed for the dead.
2) The Jews, for example, believed that there was a place of
temporary bondage (Sheol) from which the souls of the dead would receive their
final release. The Jewish catechism Talmud states that prayers for the dead
will help to bring the deceased greater rewards and blessings. Prayer for the
souls of the departed is retained by Orthodox Jews today, who recite a prayer
known as the Mourners’ Kaddish for eleven months after the death of a loved one
so that he/she may be purified.
3) Jesus and the apostles shared this belief and passed it
on to the early Church. “Remember us who have gone before you, in your
prayers,” is a petition often found inscribed on the walls of the Roman
catacombs (Lumen Gentium-50).
4) The liturgies of the Mass in various rites dating from
the early centuries of the Church include “Prayers for the Dead.”
5) The early Fathers of the Church encouraged this practice.
Tertullian (A.D. 160-240) wrote about the anniversary Masses for the dead,
advising widows to pray for their husbands. St. Augustine remarked that he used
to pray for his deceased mother, remembering her request: “When I die, bury me
anywhere you like, but remember to pray for me at the altar” (St Augustine of
Hippo, Confessions, Book 11, Chapter 13 Sections 35-37).
6) The Synods of Nicaea, Florence and Trent encouraged the
offering of prayers for the dead, citing Scriptural evidence to prove that
there is a place or state of purification for those who die with venial sins on
their souls. 2 7)
Theological reason: According to Rv 21:27, “nothing
unclean shall enter heaven.” Holy Scripture (Prv 24:16) also teaches that even
“the just sin seven times a day.” Since it would be contrary to the mercy of
God to punish such souls with venial sins in Hell, they are seen as entering a
place or state of purification, called Purgatory, which combines God’s justice
with His mercy. This teaching is also contained in the doctrine of the
Communion of Saints.
Biblical basis 1) II Mac 12:46 is the main Biblical
text incorporating the Jewish belief in the necessity of prayer and sacrifice
for the dead. The passage (II Mac 12:39-46) describes how Judas, the military
commander, “took up a collection from all his men, totalling about four pounds
of silver and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin of ering” (II Mac 12:
43). The narrator continues, “If he had not believed that the dead would be
raised, it would have been foolish and useless to pray for them.” 2) St. Paul
seems to have shared this traditional Jewish belief. At the death of his
supporter Onesiphorus, he prayed: “May the Lord grant him mercy on that Day”
(II Tm 1:18).
Other pertinent Bible texts: : Mt 12:32, I Cor, 3:15,
Zec 13:19, Sir 7:33. The Church’s teaching: The Church’s official teaching on
Purgatory is plain and simple. There is a place or state of purification called
Purgatory, where souls undergoing purification can be helped by the prayers of
the faithful (Council of Trent).
Some modern theologians suggest that the fire of Purgatory
is an intense, transforming encounter with Jesus Christ and the fire of
Christ’s Love. They also speak of Purgatory as an “instant” purification
immediately after death, varying in intensity from soul to soul, depending on
the state of each individual. How do we help the “holy souls”? The Catechism of
the Catholic Church (CCC #1032) recommends prayer for the dead in conjunction
with the offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. It also encourages “almsgiving,
indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead.” Let us not
forget to pray for our dear departed, have Masses offered for them, visit their
graves, and make daily sacrifices for them. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Nov 3 Tuesday: St. Martin de Porres, Religious. Lk 14:15-24: The context: Jesus was participating in
a banquet where he advised the host to reserve admission to the “poor, the
maimed, the lame, and the blind” and so to become eligible for God’s reward at
the resurrection. One of Jesus’ fellow-guests commented on the blessedness of
those who are invited to attend the Heavenly banquet hosted by Yahweh to honor
His Chosen People. Jesus used the occasion to highlight the cost of refusing
God’s invitation for the Heavenly banquet with lame excuses by telling the
Parable of the Scorned Banquet hosted by a very rich and influential landowner.
4 The Parable: The invited VIP guests, who had accepted the first invitation to
participate in the banquet, refused the second invitation sent a few days
before the banquet, giving lame excuses like the inspection of a newly-bought
field, the testing of a newly-bought five yoke of oxen and honeymooning with a
newly-married wife. The angry landowner instructed his servants to invite
everyone in the surrounding areas in order to fill the banquet hall. Jesus
directed this parable to the Jewish religious and civic leaders who had
accepted the Covenant but had refused to accept his invitation for God’s
salvation, the endpoint of the first Covenant, and had attacked his preaching
and healing ministry. Jesus explained through this parable why he was
befriending tax collectors and sinners, promising them eternal salvation and
participation in the Heavenly banquet. Life messages: 1) God invites us through
Jesus and his Church to the banquet of the word of God, to the banquet of the
Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and to the banquet of His grace through His
Holy Spirit via the Sacraments. 2) Let us examine ourselves to discover whether
we, too, are refusing God’s invitation and giving lame excuses to show how busy
we are because of our work or career duties, our addictions to games,
entertainments and hobbies or our preoccupation with family matters. 3) We may
not get a better chance or more opportunities to accept God’s invitation to
pray deeply, to join the Eucharistic celebration or to do serious study of and
reflection on the word of God or service in the community. (Fr. Tony)(https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Nov 4 Wednesday: St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop: Lk
14:25-33:
The context: Jesus was making his final journey to Jerusalem, and both the apostles and the common people thought that the Master was going to overthrow the Roman government by using miraculous powers. Hence, a big crowd was following along. Jesus thought it was necessary to clarify for them the real cost involved in Christian discipleship. The teaching: Today’s Gospel passage from Luke challenges us to make a total commitment to the will of God by putting Him first in our lives. Jesus reminds us to count the cost of being a Christian, because the cost is high. Christian discipleship requires one to “renounce” both possessions of the earth and possessions of the heart (i.e., one’s relationships). Jesus lays out four “trip wires” challenging true Christian discipleship: a) attachment to family; b) attachment to possessions; c) the painful consequences of discipleship, which may involve even losing one’s life; and d) the cost involved. Using the examples of a watch tower in a vineyard, left uncompleted due to lack of funds, and the example of a foolish king facing defeat by going to war without assessing the strength of the enemy, Jesus warns his would-be followers to count the cost and calculate the consequences before becoming disciples. Life messages: 1) We need to accept Jesus’ challenge of making ourselves a total self-gift to God in our commitment to true Christian Discipleship: “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing and suf ers nothing, is worth nothing.” (Martin Luther). Jesus’ challenge can be accepted only if, with God’s grace, we practice the spirit of detachment and renunciation in our daily lives. 2) Real Christian discipleship also demands a true commitment both to the duties entrusted to us and to loving acts of selfless, humble, sacrificial love offered to God in all His children around us.) This is possible only if we rely on His grace, on the power of prayer and on the guidance of the Holy Spirit through a) daily prayer, b) devout participation in the Sunday Mass c) diligent study of the Bible, d) service in and beyond the parish, e) spiritual friendships, and f) giving time, talents, and resources to the Lord’s work. (Fr. Tony)(https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Nov 5 Thursday: Lk 15:1-10 1Now the tax collectors
and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.2 And the Pharisees and the
scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So
he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has
lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go
after the one which is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he
lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls
together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I
have found my sheep which was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more
joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous
persons who need no repentance. 8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if
she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek
diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together
her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin
which I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of
God over one sinner who repents.” The context: Today’s Gospel passage, from
chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel, is known as the “Gospel in the Gospels,” or the
“distilled essence of Christ’s Good News.” In this chapter, using three
parables, Jesus answers two accusations leveled against him by the Scribes and
Pharisees, namely, that Jesus was mingling with the sinners and sharing their
meals. These parables teach us that our God is a loving, patient, merciful,
forgiving God. He is eager to be merciful toward us, not vengeful and
punishing. He is always in search of His lost and straying children. The
parables: Since the self-righteous Pharisees who accused Jesus of befriending
publicans and sinners could not believe that God would be delighted at the
conversion of sinners, Jesus told them the parable of the lost sheep and the
shepherd’s joy on its discovery, the parable of the lost silver coin (a
drachma, worth about a denarius, a farm worker’s “daily wage”), and the woman’s
joy when she found it, and the parable of the lost son and his father’s joy at
his repentant son’s return Besides presenting a God Who is patiently waiting
for the return of sinners, ready to pardon them, these parables teach us God’s
infinite love and mercy. Christianity is not about man seeking God, but rather
about a Holy God seeking a sinful man. In other words, in salvation, as in
forgiveness, and in love, the initiative is always God’s. These three parables
defend Jesus’ alliance with sinners and respond to the criticism levelled by
certain Pharisees and scribes at Jesus’ frequent practice of eating with and
welcoming tax collectors and sinners. 7 Life messages: 1) We need to meet the
challenge for self-evaluation and return to God’s mercy: If we have been in
sin, God’s mercy is seeking us, searching for our souls with a love that is
wild beyond all imagining. God is ready to receive and welcome us back as Jesus
welcomed sinners in his time. 2) Let us get reconciled with God, through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation when we are in mortal sin, and by asking His
forgiveness for our sins every night before we sleep. 3) We also need to ask
God for the grace and the courage to extend this loving forgiveness to others
who have offended us. As we continue with the celebration of the Holy Mass, let
us pray as well for God’s Divine Mercy on those who have fallen away from
grace. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Nov 6 Friday: Lk 16:1-8:
The context: In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us the
strange parable of a steward who was a rascal to teach us that serving God is a
full-time job, not a part-time job or a spare-time hobby. Jesus also teaches us
that we should use, in matters spiritual and eternal, the same ingenuity and
planning which business people show in the business world. The parable
challenges us to use our blessings — time, talents, health and wealth — wisely
and shrewdly, so that they will count for our reward in eternity. We are on the
right road only if we use our earthly wealth to attain our Heavenly goal. The
parable: In the parable, Jesus tells us how the slave-steward of an absentee
landlord ingeniously cheated his master by his unjust manipulation of the
master’s business clients when the steward had been caught red-handed in
misappropriating his 8 master’s wealth. His tricks were intended to make him
the friend of his master’s debtors and gave him the prospect of becoming rich
by working for them (or blackmailing them?) when he was fired by his master
from the stewardship. Life messages:
1) We need to be faithful in the little things of life: As
Saint John Chrysostom said, “Faithfulness in little things is a big thing.” Our
future opportunities in the eternal service of God largely depend upon our
stewardship in handling the little opportunities we have had on earth. As
Mother Teresa, following the example set by St. Therese of Lisiueux used to
recommend, “Do little things with great love.”
2) We have to act shrewdly, trusting in the power and assistance of God. Let us make use of our resources — like Hope in God’s justice, Faith in God’s assistance, and Trust in God’s grace, the Mass and the Sacraments as sources of Divine grace and the Holy Bible as the word of God for daily meditation. 3) Let us remember that, as God’s stewards, we need to be prepared always to give Him an account of our lives. (Fr. Tony)(https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Nov 7 Saturday: Lk 16:9-15:
The context: After telling the parable of the rascally steward as an example of shrewdness and as a warning against using unjust means for gain, Jesus advises his listeners to make friends with the poor by almsgiving and to be faithful and honest in the little things entrusted to them by God. 9 The teaching: Jesus advises his followers to imitate the shrewd steward who used money generously to make friends for himself. Jesus suggests that his disciples should show their generosity and mercy by almsgiving: “sell your possessions and give alms” (Lk 12:33). The recipients immediately become friends of the kind donor. It is God’s generosity which makes one rich, and, hence, the money we have is unrighteous in the sense that it is unearned and undeserved. So, God expects us to be generous stewards of His generous blessings. Generosity curtails our natural greed, making almsgiving an act of thanksgiving to God for His generosity. Then Jesus tells us that what we get in Heaven will depend on how we have used the things of the earth and on how faithful we have been in the little things entrusted to us. A slave is the exclusive property of his master, and our Master, God, is the most exclusive of Masters. So serving Him cannot be a part-time job or spare-time hobby; it is a full-time job. Finally, Jesus warns the Pharisees that material prosperity is not a sure sign of one’s goodness and God’s blessing, but a sign of God’s mercy and generosity. Life messages: 1) We need to share our blessings with others. Since all our blessings are God’s generous loans to us, we need to be equally generous with others. 2) We need to serve God full-time: Since God owns us totally, we are expected to be at His service doing His holy will all the time. Hence, there is no such thing as a part-time Christian.
(Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
