All Saints Day and All Souls Day

 

THE ORIGINS OF ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS DAY.

All Saints

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. Sadly, in some parishes including mine, the emphasis in November is about students and exams, rather than the Holy Souls.  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 especially pray for the Holy Souls who have no one to pray for them or have been forgotten.

 

All Souls Day.

Many Catholics like to think that their loved ones have gone ''straight to Heaven''.  However, as consoling as this thought is at the time of death, it is not Church teaching.  You may wish to check the Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraph 1029-31 on Purgatory. However the doctrine of purgatory also gives us hope. We hope that we will get to heaven ourselves but we live in the hope that our loved ones have reached eternity.  We do not know for sure on most occasions, but there are times that bereaved get a certain sense that their loved ones have reached eternity.  We live in hope.

However, just for a few moments let us be practical. If a person went into confession and confessed their sins and came out and dropped dead straightaway outside the door of the confessional, then, yes, there might be a possibility of a quicker route to Heaven. If a person who had the opportunity of a plenary indulgence and died outside the confessional, then there definitely could be case for going straight to heaven, since any residual effect would be wiped. Short of that, we all have some shortfalls/sins/weakness at the time of death.

 

To enter Heaven, we want to be perfect, ''just as our Heavenly Father is perfect''.  So God, in His kindness and love provides that opportunity for our souls to be cleansed and purified. Of course, how long we are in purgatory is in a sense up to us, since we can use our time wisely here on earth spiritually, or we can squander it largely or to a lesser extent. However when we die and give an account of ourselves, God, by giving us the chance of purgatory is being kind and letting us know that our salvation is assured, but we still need to do some ''grooming'' through the efforts of the pilgrim church and the Church triumphant.  We cannot do it ourselves.
It will be one of my happiest moments in heaven if someone tells me in heaven that my prayers, works of charity or trials  and attending Mass helped to release them from Purgatory.

What about you? Would you want to hear it from someone in heaven too?

 HOW TO MAKE THESE FEASTS TOUCH YOU DURING COVID.

In this year of Covid, where some countries are coming out of lock down and some are going back to lock down, this month of November, we can be a great help to each other.  If you are in a country where Mass is celebrated in person, ( even if there are only 10 worshippers allowed), remember that the Saints and Souls in purgartory are with you there too.  I like to think of the Church being crowded with all the Saints, souls in Purgatory and all the angels too with the 10 worshippers we are allowed ot have in our country currently.  Wow what a congregation Remember too to pray for all the people in the world whose country is in lock down and they are not able to get to Mass in person.

 

If your country is in lock down, avail yourself of the live streaming Masses around the world.  Priests say of course that it is not the same as being in person. That is true but when this is the only possibility for your faith to be nurtured by attending Mass, then don’t skip it.  It is the attitude in which you participate.  Attend Mass online not watch it like you would a movie. Make your spiritual communion too. 

 

Know that when I am able to be at Mass in person, I am offering my Mass and communion for you.  When I attend Mass online, I still offer up the Mass for you too and share in the pain of not being able to receive Jesus sacramentally.  Still, with faith, God can do everything.

I know that He has supplied me with huge graces this year throughout covid. I hope not to squander them. I am so grateful for all God’s blessings during lock down.

 

Let us assist the Holy Souls 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 especially, but also during the year.

 

Let these great feasts touch our spiritual consciousness this year.