Education in Faith
This coming Sunday is the 2nd November, the day that we commemorate All Souls’ Day.
The lectionary for this coming weekend offers a choice of three gospel readings: Mt 11:25-30 – revelation of the Father through the Son; Mk 15:33-39, 16:1-6 – the crucifixion and resurrection; and Lk 7:11-17 the widow of Nain’s son raised from the dead. None of the readings deal directly with the question of what happens when we die but each of them addresses the revelation of God as a God of faithfulness, compassion and love. This faithfulness and compassionate love of God is celebrated on the feast of All Souls because we remember that the invitation of God is extended to all people that they might enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The feasts of All Saints (Nov 1) and All Souls (Nov 2) can be seen as something of a twin feast that celebrates all those who have died. With the feast of All Saints we celebrate all those who have died and have entered into direct and immediate communion with God in heaven. With the feast of All Souls we celebrate and pray for those who have died but have not yet entered into that direct communion with God. These two different states revolve around the Church teaching on purgatory – a state or process of purification before entering into heaven.