All Soul's Day Homily

There are only two locations where we will spend the rest of our eternity. It is easy for us to say that Heaven is a reality. It is tougher to say that Hell is real and that there are really souls that find themselves there. When we speak about the after life we often fail to realize the reality of another state known as Purgatory. On this day we celebrate the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed where we acknowledge the need to pray for the dead. We extend our prayers to those souls who find themselves in Purgatory and pray that they will soon make it to the Heavenly Kingdom.

Concerning Heaven Revelation 21:27 states that "nothing unclean will enter it." We are again reminded in the Second Book of Maccabees that Judas the ruler of Israel "made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from sin." Purgatory is the state that the soul goes in order to be purified because only then will the soul be prepared to enter the presence of God who is all good. When the soul makes it to Heaven it will have no other desire or longing, but to be held in union with God. All sin and the need for worldly pleasure will be removed inside of Purgatory and thus the soul will be prepared for the reward of Heaven.

Yesterday we were reminded about the Church triumphant who had made their way to their Heavenly reward. On All Saint's Day we realized the countless amounts of saints ,known and unknown especially thanks to our 4th grade class, who have existed and continue to intercede in our lives. Today we acknowledge the need to mourn because many of us have been touched by the reality of death. We mourn the loss of those who we love, and that is okay because death is indeed a sad thing. Despite our mourning their is still room for hope because the reality of the Resurrection of the body remains. Death is not the end, but from it comes the hope of life eternal and the opportunity to dwell in union with God forever.

Today's Gospel reading gave us the important reminder of being prepared for that unknown hour when we will meet death. Now is the time to prepare ourselves because we do not know the time nor the hour. With the time that has been bestowed upon us we should begin to cleanse ourselves of all disordered passions. We should use this time to make our lives transformed, so that our lives can better reflect the truths that are found inside of the Gospel. Each of the saints used each day drawing themselves closer to God and we should do the same. It should be our goal in this life to not just get by, but to truly give ourselves to God out of love, so that we can grow close to the beatific vision of Heaven.

On this day we acknowledge the reality of death for ourselves and those who we have known. Death does not mark magic entrance into Heaven, but delivers hope of new life to all of us. We cannot forget our need to pray for the dead because this would do them a great injustice. This day we should join our prayers in this Mass for each of the deceased who we have known. In this action we will be like Judas the ruler of Israel who realized in Maccabees the important need to pray for the dead. At the conclusion of this Mass we will process to the columbarium and there pray for each of the deceased who lie in that place of rest. We will join our prayers together in hope that these souls may be able to achieve their Heavenly reward. Through our daily preparation we hope that we will join with them one day in the Heavenly Kingdom.