The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

In a Letter to Mrs. Mathilde Giraud-Jordan, Saint Peter Julian Eymard wrote: “I was really sorry to learn about the death of your relative… Although he died suddenly when he fell, he had time to recommend himself to God, …an act of contrition is quickly made and at such a time it is well made. Then, it’s the month of Mary, to whom his devout mother prayed so much! We must really pray for him; I am doing so, since he is your relative and I knew him.” (May 19, 1868)

Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love. (Wisdom 3:9)

“In the communion of saints, “a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory, and those who are still pilgrims on earth. Between them, there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things.” In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others. Thus, recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin.” (CCC,1475)

As a community, we are keenly aware of how much the “sin of one” causes harm to others. Cycles of abuse, generational and social sin, lack of courage, addiction — we know that when one part of the body is hurt, the whole body suffers. But also, “in this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others.” What if we spent some time pondering on this “abundant exchange of all good things”? An exchange is reciprocal giving and receiving. What are we receiving? What are we giving?

Let us pray:

Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord, and, as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened, so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants also find new strength. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Concluding Prayer, Office of Readings)