Homily For Thursday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 2nd November 2023. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day.)

Readings: Wis. 3:1-9; Ps.23; Rom 5:5-11; Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE DEPARTED SOULS: WERE THEY LIKE US? ARE WE GOING TO BE LIKE THEM?

 

Yesterday we celebrated the solemnity of All Saints, today being the 2^nd day of November the Holy Mother Church in her wisdom asked us to commemorate and pray for all the faithful departed (All Souls), especially the suffering Church. That is, as a militant Church, we are expected to pray for those souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. Thus, we are called to remember our loved ones who have gone before us into eternal life by visiting their tombs and praying for them. But why must we pray for the departed souls?  Today’s celebration will help us to understand why we must learn to constantly pray for the departed souls.

 

This is important because immediately after death we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church. The suffering Church is the souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. In this state they are helpless, they can not help anyone neither can they help themselves. They only rely on the intercessions of the triumphant Church and the militant Church. So as a militant Church, it is necessary and mandatory for us to be charitable to the suffering Church through our prayers and intercessions. That is why we need to pray and intercede for them. Little wonder the Church set apart a day like this for us to pray for the departed and also visit the cemetery and graves of our loved ones.

 

So as regards this visitation, I can recall my experience of visiting the cemetery as a seminarian. As customary, in the seminary, every 2nd November we often choose people to visit the cemetery to pray for the souls of the Faithful Departed Oftentimes my name will always be among those going to visit the cemetery but not often when it comes to going for other glorious and social occasions and events. Though at a point I felt I should complain I accepted it even though I had no option. Then, as usual, in 2017, I was privileged again to be among those to visit a cemetery at Oke-Are in Ibadan. Being more disposed than in previous years I was more observant. So, on our way to the cemetery which is located on a hill in the heart of Ibadan, passing through the market and streets all I could see were people struggling, buying and selling, fighting and cursing each other, beggars, sick people and poor alike, among the people were the rich, the educated, their leaders both traditional and political.

 

But getting to the cemetery I saw on a wall the names and dates of so many men and women who had passed on from this interesting community. Then I asked myself in my deep reflection, where will all of us in this beautiful community be in the next hundred years? Where are all these people whose names are listed on this wall? Were they like us before? Yes. Are we going to be like them later? Of course Yes. With this in mind, I realized that there is time for everything in this world, a time to be born, a time to die, a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to break down and a time to build up (Eccl: 3:1-11). Then I realized the reality of this life and the need to reflect and pray for the souls that have passed away from this passing world.

 

This we should do not in grief but in the spirit of faith and hope, knowing that they are living in communion with us as they share in the resurrection of Christ. Just as we heard in our first reading that the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God for those who are faithful will live with him in love; since grace and mercy await those he has chosen. And St. Paul in our second reading tell us to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation in order to live a beatific life which Jesus gave us its guiding principles in our Gospel passage today.

 

Dear friends, do you know that you can offer some little help to souls struggling to attain heaven our beatific vision? Do we know that there are helpless souls who only rely on our help to attain the beatific vision? What am I willing to do for these helpless souls? Before now, have I even thought of it that my departed brethren need my assistance in other to reach their destination? Am I sure that I can avoid this state of suffering and purification? Do we ever remember that our loved ones may be there now?

 

Perhaps while they were in this life, they were of great help to us. Do we realize that our prayers and sacrifices represent the key to releasing them and we can use them if we want to? Do we care about using it? Therefore, as we remember the souls who are passing through this rigour of purification, it would be good for us to offer some prayers of intercession, especially for our loved ones as plenary indigence awaits us when we do this devoutly today or any day in November at the Holy Mass or at the cemetery.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we commemorate and pray for all souls today, may the light of your mercy shine upon them, especially those who are in need of your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day.