Monday, 02 November 2009

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Today the Church celebrates : The Commemoration of all of the Faithful Departed

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Saint Irenaeus of Lyons : Like a grain of wheat

Book of Wisdom 3:1-9.

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect.

Psalms 27:1.4.7.8.9.13-14.

Of David The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom am I afraid?
One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD’S house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD’S beauty, to visit his temple.
I Hear my voice, LORD, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me.
“Come,” says my heart, “seek God’s face”; your face, LORD, do I seek!
Do not hide your face from me; do not repel your servant in anger. You are my help; do not cast me off; do not forsake me, God my savior!
But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD’S goodness in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

Letter to the Romans 6:3-9.

Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 25:31-46.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day :

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.208), Bishop, theologian and martyr
Against the Heresies V, 2,3  (SC 153, p. 37s rev.)

Like a grain of wheat

The stem of the vine, originally planted in the earth, bears fruit when the time comes. So, too, the grain of wheat, after falling into the earth and decaying there (cf. Jn 12,24), rises up again more numerous through the Spirit of God who upholds all things. Then, thanks to those who have the skill, they are made ready for our use and finally, receiving the Word of God, become eucharist – that is to say, the Body and Blood of Christ.

In the same way, our bodies, nourished by this eucharist, having lain in the earth and corrupted, will rise again when the time comes, when God’s Word will repay them with resurrection «to the glory of God the Father» (Phil 2,11). For he will gain immortality for what is mortal and incorruptibility for what is corruptible (cf. 1Cor 15,53) since God’s power makes use of weakness (cf. 2Cor 12,9).

Under these conditions let us keep good watch over ourselves from becoming puffed up with pride as though it were from ourselves that life comes to us, and from vaunting ourselves against God by allowing thoughts of ingratitude. To the contrary, knowing from experience that it is from his greatness… that we have power to live for ever we shall never turn aside from right thinking about God and ourselves. We shall know what power God possessed and what blessings humanity has received from him. We shall make no mistake concerning the real idea we should have about God and man. Besides…, if God allows our dissolution in the earth, isn’t it precisely so that, being taught by these things, we might be watchful in everything from henceforward, misjudging neither God nor ourselves?… If the chalice and the bread become eucharist through the Word of God, how can we argue that our flesh is incapable of eternal life?