Tuesday, 1 November 2016

All Souls Day

Marble tombstones in the Malta cemetery
The commemoration of All Souls is being observed today around the world, as people visit cemeteries to pay respect to their loved ones, place some flowers, light a candle, and say a prayer. Even though in the USA, such an event is observed on Memorial Day, still in most Christians countries, November is always cherished as the month when we remember our loved ones, who have entered eternal life before us. There is a connection between the feast of All Saints and All Souls, because many of our loved ones who have lived a good, holy life are certainly enjoying heaven like all the canonized saints. Therefore, since they are honored as holy people, we can pray TO THEM, not simply for them. Even though we do not imagine them with halos around their heads, and we don’t share holy pictures of them or erect statues of them, if we believe they lived a holy life, we can surely consider them as saints, and they will intercede for us, as all the other big saints do, when we pray to them. Nonetheless, today we also have to pray for those who may still be in purgatory, who need more prayers for eventual admittance into Heaven.
"For those whom we love and lose are no longer where they were before, but they are now wherever we are, in our hearts, in our minds, in our souls." Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon them. May our loved ones rest in peace.

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