Yesterday we celebrated the feast of All Saints. Today is the commemoration of All Souls. The Church often speaks of the totality of the baptized as “the Communion of Saints.” The word ‘Saints’ is used in the Scriptural sense, as found in the New Testament when it generally refers to baptized members of the Christian community.
The Communion of Saints is formed of three groups. The first are those who can properly be called ‘Saints,’ that is, those who have died and are now enjoying an intimate, personal, and face to face relationship with God and will do so for all eternity. The second group are those who are living on earth at the present time and are part of the “Pilgrim Church” on its way to ultimate union with God in unending happiness. The third group are those we are remembering today. They are those who have died but were not quite ready to meet God face to face. Most of us would probably acknowledge that we are far from perfect and that we still need to go through some purifying process (or “purgation”) before entering the eternal presence of God.
What we are reminded of today is that those who are already in the eternal presence of God and those who are still on pilgrimage here on earth can help the group we call ‘Holy Souls’ to reach the “Vision of God” through our good works and prayers. And so, although it is a “holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead” (as the Second Book of Maccabees tells us), it is especially appropriate on this day. Naturally, we remember especially family members and good friends, but we should also think of those who may not have anyone else to remember them. When our time comes to leave this world, it is the prayers of those people on which we will depend.
Let us pray. “Loving and merciful God, we entrust our brothers and sisters to your mercy. You loved them greatly in this life; now that they are freed from all its cares, please give them happiness and peace for ever. The old order has passed away: welcome them now into your loving embrace where there will be no more sorrow, no more weeping or pain, but only peace and joy with Jesus, your Son, and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.”
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Según San Pablo: “Ni muerte ni vida, nada que existe ni nada todavía por venir, ni cosa creada alguna puede nunca interponerse entre nosotros y el amor de Dios hecho visible en Cristo Jesús, Señor Nuestro.” (Romanos 8, 38-39)
La muerte permanecerá siempre un misterio y un sufrimiento. Pero, como creyentes, vivimos en fe y esperanza. Si tuviéramos suficiente fe, soportaríamos la muerte sin miedo y la acogeríamos como un regreso a la casa del Padre. En nuestra fe no hay lugar para dudar de que en la muerte Dios abandonará a su gente, que son obra de sus manos, hechas a su imagen y semejanza, por quienes Cristo murió y resucitó de entre los muertos.
Dios no nos dejará perecer para siempre. En Cristo tenemos la promesa de Dios de que nosotros resucitaremos también de entre los muertos para la gloria y alegría eternas. Con esta esperanza ponemos hoy espiritualmente nuestros difuntos en las manos del Dios de vida.
Tenemos la oportunidad para rogar hoy por todos los difuntos, conocidos o desconocidos, distantes o cercanos. Es una ocasión para nosotros de profundizar nuestra fe en la resurrección prometida a los difuntos, y también a nosotros, peregrinos todavía en este mundo.
Oremos. “Oh Dios de la vida y de los vivos: creemos que tú eres un Dios de un amor que es más fuerte que la muerte ya que tu Hijo Jesucristo, nacido como uno de nosotros, destruyó la muerte para siempre. Te pedimos confiadamente que todos los fieles difuntos vivan en la seguridad de tu amor; que disfruten de paz, tu paz, que con tanta frecuencia se les escapaba en la vida, y danos también a todos nosotros el valor para enfrentar la vida dándole auténtico sentido, viviéndola en unión íntima con tu Hijo Jesús, que vive y reina contigo por los siglos de los siglos.”
