All Saints Day and All Souls Day

This Tuesday is the feast of All Saints Day, and Wednesday is the feast of All Souls Day. On All Souls Day, we remember those who have died this past year, and we are reminded to pray for all of our family members who have died. The feasts of All Saints and All Souls are important feast days for us as Catholics. We celebrate these days in order to remember those who have gone before us to eternal life. While they are similar in the fact that we are celebrating those who have died, they are different in what we are praying for.

For those that are in heaven (All Saints) we pray a prayer of thanksgiving, one that is also asking those saints to pray for our needs. Within the Funeral Rite for Catholics, there is a line that states “Into your hands Father of mercies, we commend our brother or sister in the sure and certain hope that, together with all who have died with Christ he or she will rise with him on the last day” This is a reminder that it is good to hope that our loved one will be in heaven, but it is also a reminder that we need to continue to pray for them. So, then also for those who are not in heaven yet, those who are in purgatory (All Souls) we are praying for their needs, that God will speed the time of their purgation of sin and bring them lovingly into the kingdom of heaven. At a funeral, I will always tell people that the person who has died is in the loving and merciful hands of God now. I will not say that they are in heaven, because I am praying that they will be there and I want them to receive the benefits of our prayers. We pray for them, not in the body that is on earth which is dead and buried, but for the soul which is eternal and is entrusted to God’s hands now. One of the things that I recommend to people is to continue our prayers on behalf or those that we care for, but then one day, our prayer should change from praying for the person, to asking them for our prayers.

So, on All Saints Day, we celebrate all those who have fought the good fight of their lives and have been examples of holiness. Most of the people we celebrate are the countless examples of how to live holy lives. Only one of the saints in our history has been a perfect example, which is Mary the mother of Jesus. Even though the saints did not live perfect lives like Mary did, they are still examples that can lead us to holiness. In the month of November, we remember our loved ones who have died. Here at St. Luke’s, there is a book in the gathering space of church to write down the names of our loved ones, and you are welcome to write down the names of any of your loved ones who have passed away.

God bless,
Fr. Ken