On All Soul’s Day the Church invites each of us to remember and pray for the souls of our dear ones who have gone before us and for those who have no one to remember them.

In the tradition of the Catholic Church, praying for the souls who have died is one way to ask for God’s grace of forgiveness and mercy, so they may enter the Kingdom of God that He has promised. Our prayers to support the faithfully departed are important because “nothing unclean shall enter heaven” (Revelation 21:27).  It is our fundamental belief that we are never truly separated when we are united in prayer.

Today’s scripture readings invite us to discover God’s mercy and His loving grace for the salvation of humanity. Salvation is the work of God and His graciousness. It is God’s desire to save us all. With firm faith in Christ’s resurrection, Christians believe that, in death, life is transformed, not destroyed.

The Book of Wisdom depicts that people who live righteously before God – even demonstrating their faithfulness when tested by various challenges – will be blessed. As human beings, we hope to enter God’s Kingdom after we pass from this world. Thus, we ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of hope, because the state of the world and life’s challenges and difficulties can cause us to despair and even lead us to believe there is nothing after death. But as Christians we believe that the undying hope for salvation will ultimately be rewarded by God himself, because “hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5).

St Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, summarises the essence of today’s celebration by saying, “in Christ all shall be brought to life.” Jesus Christ’s resurrection brings life. Through His resurrection, death is destroyed. As Paul explains, “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1Cor 15:26).

Christ is the New Adam who brought life through death. Only in and through Christ Jesus will we be saved. Salvation is the pure grace and gift of God, and it calls for our human response of faith. The gospel highlights the relationship between faith and eternal life, as Jesus teaches, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life” (John 6:40).

To enter eternal life requires faith, faith in Jesus as the Son of the Father who comes to show us the way to life. Jesus assures those who have faith and believe in him that they will experience resurrection and enjoy eternal life. This belief is the core of All Soul’s Day.

So, with this celebration we come to the Lord in faith, praying that the souls of the dead, through God’s mercy, may rest in peace. Amen

 Fr Bence Baoninang CSsR

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