The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Scripture:
Wisdom 3:1-9
Romans 6:3-9
John 6:37-40
Reflection:
Yesterday, when we celebrated All Saints Day, we remembered those recognized by the Church as saints. And today we commemorate all others who have passed away in union with Christ, the “faithful departed”. These people are described as “the souls of the just” in today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom.
In our funeral liturgies, the priest says: ‘Life is changed, not ended”. The funeral liturgy also proclaims that death does not break the bonds forged in life. And those who have lost a loved one understand that love does not end, and communion with the dead continues, even as we live our lives without their physical presence.
Our loving connection with those who have passed away from our sight has been referred to as the “Communion of Saints”. The Communion of Saints is the spiritual unity of the Church, which includes all members, both living and dead.
Theologian Sr. Elizabeth Johnson says the Communion of Saints “signifies the relationship flowing among an intergenerational company of persons profoundly touched by the sacred, sharing in the cosmic community of life which is also sacred.”
When we journey with others in this life, as well as learn the stories of our spiritual ancestors, we inspire, challenge, and encourage each other as the Communion of Saints. This is especially true for Black Catholics in the US in the month of November: in 1990 the US National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus designated November as Black Catholic History Month.
As the Church prays for saints and faithful souls in loving remembrance during November, we lift up these six inspirational African Americans who are on the path to sainthood: Pierre Toussaint, Mother Mary Lange, Henriette DeLille, Father Augustus Tolton, Julia Greeley, and Sister Thea Bowman. Each of them lived a compelling, creative, and heroic life under difficult circumstances.
With Black Catholics, we also commemorate those often anonymous and faithful souls who endured slavery, Jim Crow, prejudice, and institutional racism, and still found the strength to help others survive and thrive. They identified their suffering with the sufferings of Jesus, and they died with Christ. Now they live with Him. In today’s second reading, St. Paul’s says:
“If then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.” -Romans 6:8-9
Patty Gillis is a retired Pastoral Minister. She serves on the Board of Directors at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroi, Michigant. Patty is currently a member of the Laudato Si Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.