The tradition and meaning of All Souls Day is particular to the Christian faith and even more so to the Roman Catholic tradition. On this Day, we remember the faithfully departed—our family and friends who have gone before marked with the sign of faith and to whom we believe are resting in the peace of Christ until the General Resurrection—the unfolding of the Kingdom of God (as opposed to the Particular Resurrection—at the moment of death).

We remember the faithfully departed by celebrating the Mass for the intention and the repose of
their noble souls—as we do with Mass intentions at all Eucharistic meals. For Catholic Christians, we believe thatthe life we live in faith here on earth has a direct impact on where we shall spend Eternity. Our good works, as noted in the opening and closing prayers (the Collects) at Mass last
weekend invoked the understanding that as Catholics we are called by Christ and obligated to carry out both Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy—feeding the hungry and visiting the lonely (examples of Corporal Works) and by having Mass intentions for the deceased or praying
the rosary for the needs of others (examples of Spiritual Works). This is how we remember and help build up something that the Catholic Church states we all must and should be working for: becoming a member of the Communion of Saints—entering into the Blessedness of God’s Divine Life.

So this All Souls Day—and at Masses throughout the year—we list the names of our parents and
grandparents, aunts and uncles, spouses, children and friends who have died and who had hoped to enter into God’s glorious and unending joy for all eternity. What a gift! Years ago, each parish’s Mass Intention Book would be all filled up for the year by the first week of January, if not before. Today, this is not so much true. We have lost, to  some degree, the idea that we need to pray for our loved ones (i.e. that if any stain of sin or any broken relationship might have clung to them before death) our prayers and the act of celebrating Mass for their noble soul would help to
heal them and free them from Purgatory and thus into the Kingdom. When I anoint a dying person at home or in the hospital, no matter who that person is, they always ask me to remember them in my prayers for God’s Mercy. That is a powerful statement when looking in the eye of one who is about to meet their Maker. Trust me, you don’t forget that.

The Church prays unceasingly and in her prayers we remember the soul of the dead and ask our Loving and Merciful God to be kind to them. Yet in our modern Culture. W tend to think of God as simply “Merciful” – and yet the Church must remember and preach that He is also
“Just.” Our God wants to hear our prayers and know of our concern for others. God also desires us to work with others, in prayer, and to encourage them along the Ways of Faith so that they will come Home to Him. Remember, it is not our God who denies our entrance into heaven, but like Judas at the Last Supper, it is our choices that make our destination known to Him. Prayers are powerful,
and the Lord does hear us…are we praying? Remember this beautiful and powerful line from the Gospel of John: “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 o the last day.” (John 6:39) That should be a great comfort and so “Let us pray!”