The
Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day)
(Wisdom 3:1-9; Romans 5:5-11; John 6:37-40)
Recently a well-known preacher in the Hispanic world posed a
disturbing question. Commenting on a
letter that Pope Emeritus Benedict wrote regarding his desire to see his dead friends
soon, Fr. Santiago Martin asked if most people today really believe in eternal
life. He was not referring only to the vast
public but to regular Catholics as well.
He has noticed that homilies seldom speak of eternal life, much less of
purgatory and hell.
The lack of frank talk about the last things has left the
faithful without a strong stimulus to live a just life. They will have great difficulty when in the
end they meet with the Judge whom they will not be able to deceive with
flattery or boasting. If God is just,
even though He loves every human as His own, He will have to turn back those
who have ignored Him and have failed to repent of their sins. Prayers are offered today for those who apparently
were unrepented but may have had a private conversion.
Each of the Scripture readings gives hope to those who act
justly, not to those who act selfishly.
The passage from the Book of Wisdom claims the “souls of the just are in
the hand of God,” not those who ignored their neighbor in need. St. Paul writes to the Romans that those who “have
grown into union with him through a death like his…will be united with (Christ)
in the resurrection.” He is referring to
a life of sacrifice for God’s sake.
Surely Jesus in the gospel means more than giving lip service to faith when
he says that those who believe in him will be raised on the last day. True faith in Jesus always is manifested by
love for others.
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