November...when we pray for the dead

10-28-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

The month of November is a period dedicated to praying for the dead. On Thursday, November 1, the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints when we thank God for the lives of all the dead who have made it to heaven. On Friday, November 2, we celebrate the Memorial of All Souls, when we pray for the repose of the souls of the dead who are still undergoing the period of purification in purgatory before they can be admitted into heaven. Prayer for the dead is one of the greatest acts of charity we can perform. Our prayers help them during their time in purgatory so that they can enter more quickly into the fullness of heaven. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:

"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but 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. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire" (CCC 1030 -1031).

Although we know that the souls in purgatory will enter into Heaven, we are still bound by charity to try to lessen their suffering through our prayers and good deeds. While our first responsibility is to those people we have known, it is also important to remember in our prayers those souls who have no one to pray for them. I thank Kathy McCluskey, and the Pastoral Care Ministry in our parish, for sponsoring a special Remembrance Mass for our loved ones who have passed, with a Litany of Saints for those who have passed away in the last year. I invite everyone to join us at the Mass of Remembrance on Friday, November 2, at 7:00 pm. Please check the bulletin for more information.

Reflection on the Gospel

There is a common saying that "opportunity comes but once in this life." This was the case of Bartimaeus in our Gospel Reading. Even though he could not see, he noticed that Jesus was passing by and was determined not to let the opportunity for healing escape him. We are told that the crowd tried to dissuade him, but he stood his ground and would not give up. He continued to shout out louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" When Jesus called him, the crowd changed its attitude totally from dissuading him to helping guide him to Jesus. Like Bartimaeus, there are mes when the voices of the crowd from social media, friends, coworkers and even family members may try to bully us, make us feel insignificant, make fun of our faith, or dissuade us from pursuing our dreams. At such moments, let us remember to be like Bartimaeus who refused to let others prevent him from getting the attention of Jesus Christ. Let us never give up in our prayers.

Thank you and Remain Blessed.
Fr. James

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