ALL SOULS DAY
ALL SOULS DAY
SCOOP: Today is NOT about the general bulk of humanity who have died.Rather, it is about those who have already died in the faith and works of Christ, aka, the, "faithful departed."
Here's why...
For those souls who wilfully reject Christ, God, and all His ways in their life, we can do nothing once they pass from this earth - their chance came and went.
Both Christ and St. Paul made it clear that the majority of humanity will *not* be saved.
There are very clear instructions on how to maintain ones salvation, yes, but the most will fall into condemnation by ignoring them, or by picking from among them which they will adopt.
Their poor choices and actions during their life seal their eternal fate at death.
No do-overs. Sorry.
So today we honor those inspiring souls who knew that, and behaved accordingly in faith, charity, hope, trust in Him, acting in God's love and the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.
++++++++++++++++++++
Rev 14:13: Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them."
Note the emphasis on good works.
All Souls Day - Info, Prayers, References
All Souls Day - Info, Prayers, References
Masses for the dead are known from the fifth century (400's) and they surely existed before then - before the Bible. So those Christians knew and believed in our efforts on behalf of the departed faithful.
But it was St. Odilo, fourth abbot of Cluny, who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints.
The practice spread to the rest of Christendom.
Daily in a special Memento in the Canon of the Mass, at which the priest remembers all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord, the priest implores God to grant them a place of happiness, light and peace.
Thus, there is no Mass in which the Church does not pray for the faithful departed; but today her thoughts are directed towards them in a particular fashion, with the maternal preoccupation of leaving no soul in Purgatory without spiritual aid and of grouping them all together in her intercession.
By a privilege that Benedict XV's decree has extended to the whole world every priest can today celebrate three Masses; for the liberation of the souls in Purgatory the Church multiplies the offering of the sacrifice of Christ, from which she draws forever on behalf of all her children, infinite fruits of redemption.
"The Church, after celebrating the feast of All Saints, today prays for all who, in the purifying suffering of Purgatory, await the day they will join in heavenly glory.
But it was St. Odilo, fourth abbot of Cluny, who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints.
The practice spread to the rest of Christendom.
Daily in a special Memento in the Canon of the Mass, at which the priest remembers all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord, the priest implores God to grant them a place of happiness, light and peace.
Thus, there is no Mass in which the Church does not pray for the faithful departed; but today her thoughts are directed towards them in a particular fashion, with the maternal preoccupation of leaving no soul in Purgatory without spiritual aid and of grouping them all together in her intercession.
By a privilege that Benedict XV's decree has extended to the whole world every priest can today celebrate three Masses; for the liberation of the souls in Purgatory the Church multiplies the offering of the sacrifice of Christ, from which she draws forever on behalf of all her children, infinite fruits of redemption.
"The Church, after celebrating the feast of All Saints, today prays for all who, in the purifying suffering of Purgatory, await the day they will join in heavenly glory.
The celebration of the Mass, which re-creates the Sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, has always been the principal means by which the Church fulfills the great responsibility of charity toward the dead. Death cannot break the bonds of the Body of Christ." —Daily Roman Missal
"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but are still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
"The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1030-1031).
Even when November 2 falls on a Sunday, the Mass celebrated is that from the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.
We pray for the Faithful Departed especially during the "octave" of All Souls, from November 1st to the 8th.
Preface I For the Faithful Dead: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
In him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned, that those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come.
Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.
And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven we sing the hymn of your glory...
Communion Antiphon, Mt 5:8-10: I am the Resurrection and the Life, says the Lord. Whoever believes in me, even though he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will not die.
4 Esdr 2:35, 34: Let perpetual light shine upon them, O Lord, with your Saints for ever, for you are merciful.
Entrance Antiphon, Cf. Rom 8:11: God, who raised Jesus from the dead, will give life also to your immortal bodies, through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed: O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son, having conquered death, should pass over into the realm of heaven, grant, we pray, to your departed servants that, with the mortality of this life overcome, they may gaze eternally on you, their Creator and Redeemer.
+ Through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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And for those who will automatically start trippin'when they hear the word, "Purgatory," here's a gentle reminder - belief in it existed in the old laws, long before the New Testament was ever put together.
Before Jesus, even.
So to reject it because you don't see it in whatever New Testament you have, is to reject the faith of millions who came before there WAS a New Testament - and Christ Himself, who never denied it.
In fact, He said he came to make a new covenant between God and Man - but - to also fulfill the old laws.
"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but are still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
"The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1030-1031).
Even when November 2 falls on a Sunday, the Mass celebrated is that from the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.
We pray for the Faithful Departed especially during the "octave" of All Souls, from November 1st to the 8th.
Preface I For the Faithful Dead: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
In him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned, that those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come.
Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.
And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven we sing the hymn of your glory...
Communion Antiphon, Mt 5:8-10: I am the Resurrection and the Life, says the Lord. Whoever believes in me, even though he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will not die.
4 Esdr 2:35, 34: Let perpetual light shine upon them, O Lord, with your Saints for ever, for you are merciful.
Entrance Antiphon, Cf. Rom 8:11: God, who raised Jesus from the dead, will give life also to your immortal bodies, through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed: O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son, having conquered death, should pass over into the realm of heaven, grant, we pray, to your departed servants that, with the mortality of this life overcome, they may gaze eternally on you, their Creator and Redeemer.
+ Through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
show
And for those who will automatically start trippin'when they hear the word, "Purgatory," here's a gentle reminder - belief in it existed in the old laws, long before the New Testament was ever put together.
Before Jesus, even.
So to reject it because you don't see it in whatever New Testament you have, is to reject the faith of millions who came before there WAS a New Testament - and Christ Himself, who never denied it.
In fact, He said he came to make a new covenant between God and Man - but - to also fulfill the old laws.
And those who do not honor and respect those laws?
They will be condemned. Ouch.
So before you start howling about Purgatory, it will be wise to keep that in mind.
So before you start howling about Purgatory, it will be wise to keep that in mind.
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