One-page
synopsis: All Souls’ Day
(November 2, 2017) Homily:
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 supported by Church tradition: People
of all religions have believed in the immortality of the soul and have
prayed for the dead:
1) The Jews,
for example, believed that there was a place of temporary bondage 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 greater
rewards and blessings to them. Prayer for the souls of the departed is retained by Orthodox Jews
today, who recite a prayer known as the Mourner’s Kaddish for
eleven months after the death of a loved one so that he/she may be purified.
2) First century practice: 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).
3) The liturgies
of the Mass in various rites dating from the early centuries of the Church
include “Prayers for the Dead.”
4) 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 9, Chapter 11,
and Section 27).
5) The synods of Nicaea, Florence and Trent
encouraged the offering of prayers for
the dead, citing Scriptural evidences to prove that there is a place or
state of purification for those who die with venial sins on their souls.
Theological reasoning: According
to Revelation 21:27: “nothing unclean shall enter Heaven.” Holy Scripture (Proverbs 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
evidence: 1) II Maccabees,
12:46 is the main Biblical text incorporating the Jewish belief in the
necessity of prayer and sacrifice for the dead. The passage (II Maccabees
12:39-46), describes how Judas, the military commander, “took up a
collection from all his men, totaling about four pounds of silver
and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering” (II
Mc 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 Timothy: 1:18). Other pertinent Bible texts: Matthew 12:32, I Corinthians, 3:15, Zechariah 13:19, Sirach 7:33.
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 Timothy: 1:18). Other pertinent Bible texts: Matthew 12:32, I Corinthians, 3:15, Zechariah 13:19, Sirach 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 his fire of 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 recommends prayer
for the dead in conjunction with the offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice and
also encourages "almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance
undertaken on behalf of the dead" (CCC
#1032). Let us not forget to pray
for our dear departed, have Masses offered for them, visit their graves, and
make daily sacrifices for them.
God can foresee and apply the merits of our prayers, penances and works of
charity, done even years after their death, for our departed dear ones, in
favor of our deceased dear ones, at the moment of their deaths.
ALL SOULS’ DAY: (Nov 2, 2017): Wis 3:1-9; Rom 5:5-11; Jn 6:37-40 troduction: This is a day specially set
apart that we may remember and pray for our dear ones who have gone to their
eternal reward, and who are currently in a state of ongoing purification.
Church
Fathers:
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). St. Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386), in one of
his many catechetical discourses, explained how at Mass both the living and
dead are remembered, and how the Eucharistic Sacrifice of our Lord is of
benefit to sinners, living and dead. St. Ambrose (d. 397) preached, "We
have loved them during life; let us not abandon them in death, until we have conducted
them by our prayers into the house of the Lord." St. John Chrysostom (d.
407) stated, "Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were
purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for
the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who
have died and to offer our prayers for them." Finally, Pope St. Gregory
(d. 604) said, "Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to
offer our prayers. for them." The words Trinity and Incarnation
aren’t in Scripture either, yet those doctrines are clearly taught in it.
Likewise, Scripture teaches that Purgatory exists, even if it doesn’t use that
word.
Logical belief, supported by synods. The Catholic Church teaches that not everyone
who dies in God's grace is immediately ready for the Beatific Vision, that is,
the direct experience of God and His perfect nature in Heaven. So, they must be
purified of "lesser faults" and the temporal punishment due to sin in
a place or state of purification. The Catholic
teaching on Purgatory essentially requires belief in two realities: 1. that
there will be a purification of believers prior to entering Heaven and 2. that
the prayers and Masses of the faithful in some way benefit those in the state
of purification. The synods of 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. According to Revelation 21:27, “Nothing
unclean shall enter Heaven” (cfr. also Is 35:8 and Wis
7:25). Holy Scripture teaches that even "the just sin seven
times a day" (Proverbs 24:16). Since it would be contrary to the mercy of God
to punish such souls in Hell, they are seen as entering a place or state of
purification, Purgatory, which combines God’s justice with His mercy.
This teaching is also contained in the doctrine of the Communion of Saints.
The Catholic Church understands the Communion of Saints as a relationship of
love joining the faithful, living and departed. The Saints, both in Heaven and
in Purgatory, pray for us, and we pray both to the Saints in Heaven for
their intercession, and for those in Purgatory, that they may swiftly enter the
Beatific Vision. Thus, death is no barrier to prayerful communion with the
dead. We lovingly remember them and thank God for their eternal reward. These
souls can experience the love of Christ who frees them from their
imperfections. As the Second Vatican Council repeats, “fully conscious of this
communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the pilgrim Church from
the very first ages of the Christian religion has cultivated with great piety
the memory of the dead” (Lumen Gentium, n. 50). Said Pope St. John Paul
II: "Before we enter into God’s kingdom, every trace of sin within us must
be eliminated, every imperfection in our soul must be corrected." (CCC
#1030-1032).
Biblical
evidence: 1) II Maccabees, 12:46 is the main Biblical text
incorporating the Jewish belief in the necessity of prayer and sacrifice for
the dead. The passage (II Maccabees 12: 39-46),
describes how Judas, the military commander, discovered that those of his men
who had died in a particular battle had been wearing forbidden pagan amulets.
His men at once "begged that the sin committed might be fully blotted
out" (2 Mc 12: 42). Judas then “took up a collection from all
his men, totaling about four pounds of silver and sent it to Jerusalem to
provide for a sin offering” (2 Mc 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; whereas, if he had had in view the splendid
recompense reserved for those who make a pious end, the thought was holy and
devout. This was why he had this atonement sacrifice offered for the dead, so
that they might be released from their sin" (2 Mc 12: 44-46). These
verses so clearly illustrate the existence of Purgatory that, at the time of
the Reformation, Protestants had to cut the books of the Maccabees out of their
Bibles in order to avoid accepting the doctrine. Not only can we show that
prayer for the souls of the departed was practiced by the Jews of the time of
the Maccabees, but it has even been retained by Orthodox Jews today, who recite
a prayer known as the Mourner’s Kaddish for eleven months after
the death of a loved one so that the loved one may be purified.
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 Timothy: 1:18).
3)
Matthew 12:32 hints at the
possibility of sins being forgiven after death, "in the age to
come," when Jesus refers to the impossibility of forgiveness of sins
against the Holy Spirit. St. Augustine and St. Gregory interpret this phrase, "in
the age to come,” as a reference to Purgatory. Jesus' statement that certain sins "will
not be forgiven either in this world or in the world to come," at
least suggests a purging of the soul after death. Pope St. Gregory (d. 604)
stated, "As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the
Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire.” The Council of Lyons (1274)
likewise affirmed this interpretation of our Lord's teaching.
4) In I Corinthians, 3:15, St. Paul speaks of a "test by fire" after death to prove the worth of our work in this world: "But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.” Several of the early Church Fathers considered this a reference to a process of purification after death.
5) Zechariah 13:19 “And I will test the third that survives and will purify them as silver is purified by fire." The Jewish School of Rabbi Shammai interpreted this passage as a purification of the soul through God's mercy and goodness, preparing it for eternal life. The Fathers of the Church interpret the statement as a reference to Purgatory.
4) In I Corinthians, 3:15, St. Paul speaks of a "test by fire" after death to prove the worth of our work in this world: "But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.” Several of the early Church Fathers considered this a reference to a process of purification after death.
5) Zechariah 13:19 “And I will test the third that survives and will purify them as silver is purified by fire." The Jewish School of Rabbi Shammai interpreted this passage as a purification of the soul through God's mercy and goodness, preparing it for eternal life. The Fathers of the Church interpret the statement as a reference to Purgatory.
6) Sirach 7:33 "Withhold not your
kindness from the dead" The Jewish rabbis used to interpret this
passage as imploring God to cleanse the souls of the deceased.
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). In Lumen Gentium (50-52), Purgatory is seen in the broader context of salvation and heaven. Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church asserts, "This sacred council accepts loyally the venerable Faith of our ancestors in the living communion which exists between us and our brothers who are in the glory of Heaven or who are yet being purified after their death; and it proposes again the decrees of the Second Council of Nicaea, of the Council of Florence, and of the Council of Trent" (No. 51). The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes Purgatory as the “final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC #1031). “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death, they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC #1030). “Hope does not disappoint,” says St. Paul in today’s second reading. Purgatory is a good-news, bad-news situation for those who are there. The good news is: You are on the way to salvation. The bad news is: You have to suffer temporarily as you prepare for the presence of God. But it is very different from the pain of hell. Purgatory is suffering, but not torment. “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them,” says today’s first reading. Purgatory is an invention of our God of great mercy, who never wants to give up on us. “And this is the will of the One who sent me,” says Jesus in the Gospel, “that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the Last Day.”
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). In Lumen Gentium (50-52), Purgatory is seen in the broader context of salvation and heaven. Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church asserts, "This sacred council accepts loyally the venerable Faith of our ancestors in the living communion which exists between us and our brothers who are in the glory of Heaven or who are yet being purified after their death; and it proposes again the decrees of the Second Council of Nicaea, of the Council of Florence, and of the Council of Trent" (No. 51). The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes Purgatory as the “final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC #1031). “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death, they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC #1030). “Hope does not disappoint,” says St. Paul in today’s second reading. Purgatory is a good-news, bad-news situation for those who are there. The good news is: You are on the way to salvation. The bad news is: You have to suffer temporarily as you prepare for the presence of God. But it is very different from the pain of hell. Purgatory is suffering, but not torment. “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them,” says today’s first reading. Purgatory is an invention of our God of great mercy, who never wants to give up on us. “And this is the will of the One who sent me,” says Jesus in the Gospel, “that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the Last Day.”
Modern
interpretations: Some modern theologians suggest that the fire of Purgatory is an intense, transforming encounter with
Jesus Christ and his fire of 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. According to this view, the refining fire of
Purgatory is only a relic of medieval imagery. It is actually the fire of
Divine love. It may, in fact, be a form of "blazing
enlightenment" which penetrates and perfects our very being.
God can anticipate and apply the merits of our present and future prayers for
the dead, in favor of the souls we pray for, at the time of their purification.
Pope Benedict considers Purgatory as an “existential state” and, hence, it
is not necessarily accurate to speak of a location or duration of Purgatory. According to Pope Benedict XVI, "the souls that are aware of the
immense love and perfect justice of God consequently suffer for not having
responded correctly and perfectly to that love." It is the suffering of
the holy souls. He continues that Purgatory is thus “the fringe of heaven, a state where heaven's
eternal light has a refining effect on the “holy souls” (not 'poor souls'),
who are held in the arms of Divine Mercy.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dWf_BtITG1Y .
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. Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical Mirae
caritatis (1902), states, "The grace of
mutual love among the living, strengthened and increased by the Sacrament of
the Eucharist, flows, especially by virtue of the Sacrifice [of the Mass], to
all who belong to the Communion of Saints. The Vatican Council II affirmed,
"This sacred council accepts loyally the venerable Faith of our ancestors
in the living communion which exists between us and our brothers who are in the
glory of Heaven or who are yet being purified after their death..." (Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, No. 51). The Catechism asserts, "From the
beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in
suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic Sacrifice, so that, thus purified,
they may attain the beatific vision of God" (CCC #1032). In the same item, the Catechism also encourages "almsgiving, indulgences, and
works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead." All these
prayerful acts are to be conducted as matters of Faith and not as something
magical. The greatest act is to offer Mass for the dead, because in this One
Sacrifice, the merits of our Lord Jesus are applied to the dead. Hence, this
reconciling offering of the Lord is the greatest and most perfect prayer, which
we can offer for the dead in their state of purification. Let us not forget to
pray for our dear departed, have Masses offered for them, visit their graves,
and make daily sacrifices for them. God can foresee and apply the merits of our
prayers, penances and works of charity, done even years after their death for
our departed dear ones, in favor of our deceased dear ones, at the moment of
their deaths. However, if indeed the departed soul has been purified and
now rests in God's presence in Heaven, then those prayers and sacrifices
offered benefit the other souls in purgatory through the love and mercy of God.
Let us raise this prayer to God: “God of infinite mercy, we entrust to Your
immense goodness all those who have left this world for eternity, where You
wait for all humanity, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ Your Son, Who
died as a ransom for our sins. Look not, O Lord, on our poverty, our suffering,
our human weakness, when we appear before You to be judged for joy or for
condemnation. Look upon us with mercy, born of the tenderness of Your heart,
and help us to walk in the ways of complete purification. Let none of Your
children be lost in the eternal fire, where there can be no repentance. We
entrust to You, O Lord, the souls of our beloved dead, of those who have died
without the comfort of the sacraments, or who have not had an opportunity to
repent, even at the end of their lives. May none of them be afraid to meet You,
after their earthly pilgrimage, but may they always hope to be welcomed in the
embrace of Your infinite mercy. May our Sister, corporal death find us always
vigilant in prayer and filled with the goodness done in the course of our short
or long lives. Lord, may no earthly thing ever separate us from You, but may
everyone and everything support us with a burning desire to rest peacefully and
eternally in You. Amen.” (Fr Antonio Rungi, Passionist, Prayer for the Dead).
(from Pope Francis’ Angelus message on Nov 2, 2014).
Testimony by Fr. Paddy: When
I was young, the devotion to the Holy Souls was very popular. People offered
Masses for the Holy Souls. On All Souls Day each Priest offered three Masses,
people came in great numbers for the Masses and they visited the Church often
during the day to gain indulgences by their prayers. Even today relatives have
Mass offered for their loved ones on their anniversary, birthday, Christmas and
Easter. Sadly, however, prayer for the Holy Souls is not as popular as in times
past. If I were to ask what is the best thing you can do for a loved one who
has died what would you say? A funeral to talk about them? A nice grave and
headstone? A tree, plant or a beautiful flower? Have a wonderful
reception? Yes all those things are nice. But the best gift is prayer
because that is the only thing that can help them on their journey to the Lord.
I have put at the end of my will, “Please don’t spend time talking about me,
spend time praying for me.” For it is a
holy and wholesome thing to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from
their sin. (Oct 30, 2009) (sacredheartparish@xtra.co.nz)
On Dad’s Shoulders: In Kohima, Nagaland
there is a War cemetery, where the allied soldiers who died during the War are
buried. On the door of the Cemetery, it is written, “Tell them that we gave our
today for your tomorrow.” Like the soldiers of World War II, the memory of our
near and dear ones is a reminder that we need to be grateful to them because
what we are today is mainly due to their efforts and sacrifices. A Scottish
poet has written, “If I have done anything in life, it is because I was able to
stand on the shoulders of my dad.”Elias Dias in ‘Divine Stories for
Families,’ quoted by Fr. Botelho. L/17
Websites of the week on All Souls Day
1) http://www.americancatholic.org/messenger/nov2000/wiseman.asp
2) http://www.catholic.com/tracts/purgatory
3) The best=http://www.prayforsouls.org/library/articles/article.php?NID=3723
4) http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2010/06/c-s-lewis-belief-in-purgatory-and.html
5) http://www.catholicmatters.com/tlft00.htm
6) http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/purgatory_a_process_of_purification/
7) Do our souls go to sleep when we die?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4_ymmP5_e4&feature=player_detailpage