All Souls Day: Commemoration of the Faithful Departed

Today's Scripture Readings

Wisdom 3: 1-9 (NRSV)

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them forever.
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.

Psalm 130 (BCP., p.784)


John 5:24-27 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

"Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. "

Blog Reflection

In the Catechism (An Outline of the Faith) in The Book of Common Prayer, page 862 we read the following.

Q.  Why do we pray for the dead?
A.  We pray for them, because we still hold them in our love, and because we trust that in God's presence those who have chosen to serve him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is.

Over these past 4 years, I have come to believe that Jesus Christ came to put a face and a name on the marginalized of society and the Church.  In His time of ministry and living on earth, and our own. When Jesus raised the Jarius' daughter from the dead (see Matthew 9:18-26, Luke 8;40-56), the widows son (see Luke 7:11-17) and Lazarus (see John 11:38-44), He put a name and a face on the dead.  He declared that the dead were not sleeping in hopelessness.  When Jesus Himself rose from the dead, He showed Himself to be the conqueror of death for all humankind.   Hence the words from the optional reading from 1 Corinthians 15:55,,, "Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O Death, is your sting?"

In another question and answer found in the Catechism in The Book of Common Prayer on the same page 862 we read this:

Q.  What, then, is our assurance as Christians?
A.  Our assurance as Christians is that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

We remember the souls of the faithful departed today, because God loves them, and we love them.   We remember how each person brought us closer to God in one way or another.  Many of the relationships we had with those who have gone before us were not perfect.  Their deaths may have been tragic, their illnesses just devastating to them and those who loved them.  But, our Faith in Jesus Christ tells us that there is hope for them, and all of us.  We all have a chance today to remember them, and to be inspired by the ways in which they touched our hearts and made this world a better place in one way or another.   How they may have helped us to think of another first, and ourselves second to last.

While I am thankful for all the souls I can remember today, I want to write of a particular one that has touched me over this past month.  

Many years ago, I was honored to meet Brad.  He was a young man living in Pennsylvania.  A few years back he moved from Pennsylvania to Florida, because he fell in love with Stephen.   When he and Stephen created their relationship together, Brad became part of Stephen's larger family.  Brad took on the responsibilities of helping Stephen's son get to school, cleaning the house, doing the family laundry and just giving of himself to Stephen as much as he could.  

Last May, Stephen was diagnosed with cancer between the esophagus and the stomach.  At the point he was diagnosed, Stephen told Brad that he knew that Stephen's illness would be very difficult for Brad.  Stephen gave Brad the opportunity to leave Stephen, and to make himself happy with someone who would probably live a lot longer than Stephen would, because his cancer needed a lot of chemo therapy and visits to the hospital, and there was no promise that the cancer would not kill Stephen.  Brad responded to Stephen saying: "If you are going to fight this battle, I am going to fight it right along with you."  Brad made sure that Stephen got to the hospital for his chemo therapy, and had anything he needed.  Brad took extra special care of the family back home, including being there for Stephen's son who struggled so much with his dad's health and possibility of his death.  

On Thursday, October 10th, Stephen Phillips died, losing his battle with cancer.   Brad called me to talk to me, and to invite me to share in his grief.   I was so honored and privileged to be able to do that for him.  At that time of Stephen's death, his family had adopted Brad, accepted their relationship and had no problems making sure that Brad would have possession of his urn which just arrived earlier this week.

I am so very proud of Brad.  He has taught me the meaning of Benedictine humility without even having read or understood The Rule.  He has also put the Tools for Good Works, also a Chapter of The Rule to good use.  Because of Brad's total giving of himself for the life and love of Stephen, he has given me courage and helped me know how urgent it is for me to pray that I will always be ready to do for Jason, what Brad did for Stephen.  Brad lived into the meaning of "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part."  May I and others who are married and/or partnered be given such exemplary grace to live into our love for others, in particular our spouses.   If that is not a validation of the strength and power of the love between same-sex couples, I don't know what else could be.

May we remember today and always those souls who continue to teach us how to live the Gospel, by following the example of Jesus as faithfully as we can.

Amen.


Prayers

Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life: Give to your
whole Church in paradise and on earth your light and your
peace; and grant that we, following the good examples of
those who have served you here and are now at rest, may at
the last enter with them into your unending joy; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (Prayer for the Departed, Book of Common Prayer, p. 253).

Commemoration of All Faithful Departed: Their Story Continues

Scriptural Basis

John 5:24-27 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

"Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. "

Blog Reflection

In the Book of Common Prayer on page 862 of the Catechism or Outline of the Faith we read the following.

Q. Why do we pray for the dead?

A.  We pray for them, because we still hold them in our love, and because we trust in God's presence those who have chosen to serve him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is.

Those who die are never too far away.   The memory of who they were while they lived still lingers in our hearts and minds.  We remember what they did.  We remember with fondness the many times we spent time with them, or wished we had spent even more. We may not see their bodies anymore.  We do not see them or talk with them. We are not able to visit with them per say.   But, every time we remember them, some how they are present with us.

When I think of Fr. Tetrault and how he told me to love as God created me to love, and do what I can to help someone, Fr. Tetrault is with me. 

When I make a pasta sauce or bran muffins made with Kellogs All-Bran and raisins, my Great Aunt Clara suddenly feels closer to me. 

Sometimes when I remember a joke that I laughed at, or a song my Dad used to sing in his pick-up truck, I remember him.

When I make Thanksgiving Dinner, I remember my grandmother and all the great times we had.

We pray for those who have died because we loved them.  Our love for them does not stop at death.  God's love for them and us does not stop at death. 

In the Roman Missal, the Preface Prayer before the Holy, Holy, Holy is sung we read the words:

Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended.
When the body of our earthly dwelling lies ind death
we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.
(Sacramentary, Catholic Publishing Company, Page 527).

Christians believe that death is not an ending, but a transition.  The best is yet to come.  The love never stops.

Today, we take time to remember those who have gone before us.  We remember them and we pray for them, that God who is gracious and merciful has received them unto God's Self.  We wait in hope, not despair for the day when we will all be reunited with God and all whom we love because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Among the greatest accomplishments of Jesus Christ in his life on earth was that he put a face on those who had died.  When I read the narrative of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus in John 11: 17 to 44 the greatest miracle of all was that God put a face and a name on those who died.  God made sure that we knew that in death God does not forget us. God's love and power are not conditional by death, sexual orientation or any other means. 

May all of us be comforted by the hope that God gives us.  May we remember those who have died with fondness so that they are never far from us.  May we do all we can to spread the good news that in God there is life, peace, eternal happiness and love unlike any other.


Prayers

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Holy Men, Holy Women, Celebrating the Saints, page 659).

Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 831).

Commemoration of All Faithful Departed: All Souls. What Does Death Mean?

"In the New Testament, the word "saints" is used to describe the entire membership of the Christian community, and in the Collects for All Saints' Day the word "elect" is used in a similar sense. From very early times, however, the word "saint" came to be applied primarily to persons of heroic sanctity, whose deeds were recalled with gratitude by later generations.

Beginning in the tenth century, it became customary to set aside another day--as a sort of extension of All Saints--on which the Church remembered remembered that vast body of the faithful who, though no less members of the company of the redeemed, are unknown in the wider fellowship of the Church.  It was also a day for particular remembrance of family members and friends.

Though the observance of the day was abolished at the Reformation because of abuses connected with Masses for the dead, a renewed understanding of its meaning has led to a widespread acceptance of this commemoration among Anglicans, and to its inclusion as an optional observance in the calendar of the Episcopal Church."  (Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 664).

One day as I was meditating upon the Gospel narrative of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (see John 11), I came to a new understanding about the work of Jesus.  Jesus put a name and face on those who have died.  When someone passes away, we grieve and work through the loss. But to some extent we all sort of forget about the person who died.  We may remember all of the great things (or not so great things) she or he did, but the individual is gone.  When Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb in a sense, Jesus put a name and face on those who are often forgotten as a result of death. 

We commemorate today all those who have gone before us.  We remember with love those who cared for and nurtured us.  We might remember with pain even those who died not loving us as we might have wished they did.  There are those whom we love who have died.  Others we really did not love, but who are also dead.  Whether we loved them or not, or they loved us or not their memory still lingers in our minds.  They are not so forgotten. 

Many of us who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or queer remember today those who have died as a result of HIV/AIDS.  Many partners loved their loved ones right up to their deaths.  Caring for them night and day, with every nickel and dime until they breathed their last.  Many of those people died without last rites.  Still others did. 

This year we can commemorate those young people who took their own lives because of bullying.  In their memories we strive to do all that we can to end bullying. 

Every one we remember or have forgotten is someone that God loves very much.  God loves all of us, including those who have died.  These three days of All Hallows Eve, All Saints and now All Souls are a kind of "triduum" for all of those whom God has redeemed because of God's precious love. 

We are given today an opportunity to thank God for all that the Faithful Departed that we remember have given to us as part of God's love that surrounds us on every side.  We are given a chance today to remember them with love and hope and to trust them into the loving hands of God once again.

Today is a great day to read and meditate on Wisdom 3: 1-9.

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them forever.
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.


In the Gospel of John 5: 24-27 we read:

Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

"Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. "

If there is one thing we can know and believe in our Christian Faith is that death never has the last word.  Jesus does.  Because we believe that Jesus is God's perfect revelation, we trust in God to be merciful and compassionate, understanding and all loving.  Because we believe in a loving and merciful God, we also believe that God has more compassion for all God's people, than we are capable of comprehending.  We can therefore trust our faithful departed as well as ourselves into God's care.

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for All Souls, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 665).

Remembering Those We Love and Those We Didn't

November 2nd is traditionally celebrated as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. On this day we remember in particular those who have gone before us marked with the sign of Faith, as well as anyone that we might remember.

In the Catechism from page 862 of the Book of Common Prayer we read: Q: Why do we pray for the dead? A. We pray for them, because we still hold them in our love, and because we trust that in God's presence those who have chosen to serve him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is.

Given the short number of years we are on this earth, it is hardly possible that we will have completed the work of holiness before we die. There is most likely some way in which we could have loved people more, better and without reservation. There are things that we may not entirely have understood. However, hope does not die once our mortal bodies no longer breath air. Jesus Christ did rise from the dead, meaning death is not the final word for us. And so, we pray daily for ourselves as well as for all those who have gone before us, that they too someday may enjoy the fullness of God's presence in God's eternal kingdom.

Today is a great day to remember our relatives, friends, benefactors, those who reached out to us that we never quite said "thank you" to. It is a great day to remember those who died of HIV/AIDS. Many mothers who passed away due to breast cancer can be remembered today. Remember those who have died due to violence or war. But in particular remember those who might not have anyone to pray for them.

All of us have loved one's who have passed that we miss. Some of us have people who have passed on who we never quite was able to say goodbye. Today is a great day and a great way to remember them.

Let us pray today in a special way for all those who have died that they may enjoy the fullness of God's presence.

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death, and brought life and immortality to light; Grant that all your servants, being raised with him, may know the strength of Christ's presence, and rejoice in God's eternal glory; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, Page 493).