Origins of All Saints Day and All Souls Day
The feasts of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, when Catholics are
encouraged to offer Masses and prayers for our deceased family members
and relatives, were the living expression of a doctrine which stretched
back to the earliest era of Christianity, and which is embodied in the
Apostles' Creed.
The origin of All Saints Day is to be found in the prayers made to the
martyr saints of the persecuted Church in the early centuries. All
Souls Day reflects the constant teaching of the Church, stretching back
into the Old Testament period where it is record in the Book Maccabees, " It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to prayer for the dead, that they may loosed from their sins'
It seems a tragedy that All Saints Day
is less recognized that Halloween, now a secular celebration of what was
once the day before All Hallows (Saints) Day.
In Australia in 2001, the Australian bishops made a decision to reduce the number of Holy Days of Obligation,
with the great feast of All Saints Day and All Souls Day (albeit an unofficial Holy Day of Obligation) disappearing from the
awareness of even practising Catholics. As a consequence of that
decision, a diminished awareness of the doctrine of Communion of Saints
has resulted, a doctrine which teaches that believers on earth are
united in a spiritual fellowship with the saints in Heaven and the souls
in Purgatory.
These beautiful feasts days are both a source of inspiration and a
consolation that we, in the world as the pilgrim Church can aspire to be
reunited with our families and friends who are the Church triumphant in
the joyful perfection of Heaven. We can also give the souls in
purgatory- great consolation by our prayers and Masses since we can pray
for them, but they cannot pray for themselves. Let us assist them by
our prayers, works of charity, offering up our day and trials for them
and attending Mass for their souls not only on these great feasts, but
also during the month of November.
Let these great feasts touch our spiritual consciousness this year.
Are you OK? You haven't been blogging much recently?
ReplyDeletethank you for your interest. I have not been well and I have been studying as well, so sadly I lost my focus and New Horizons blogging got further down the list of things to do..hope to get back track.
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