Reflection on Today's Readings, All Souls Day, Tuesday 2nd Nov., 2021
Texts: Wisdom 3:1-9c; Ps. 23: 1-6; Romans 5:5-11; John 6:37-40
Today, we remember all the souls in purgatory, the suffering Church. They are the souls who could not help themselves again; our prayers help to lessen their sufferings and to set them free from their sufferings. They need our prayers to get out of purgatory and to join the triumphant church. While we pray God to have mercy on them that they may join the triumphant church, they offer their sufferings for our salvation. Their suffering is not in vain, for any suffering united with Christ has saving effect; we receive the saving effect of their suffering. Another way in which praying for them benefits us is that when they are free from purgatory and join the triumphant church, they pray for us and guide us in the path of salvation.
There are two things that make people go to purgatory. Penny Catechism says, "Those souls go to purgatory that depart this life in venial sin or that have not truly paid the debt of temporal punishment due to those sins of which the guilt has been forgiven" (no. 107). Those who die in venial sin go to purgatory for cleansing, for nothing unclean enters heaven (Rev. 21:27). This suggests that there are some sins that can be forgiven after death. Jesus insinuates this when he says, "whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come" (Mtt. 12:32 b). Jesus insinuates that some sins cannot be forgiven in this age and in the age to come. The age to come is after death. St. John also tells us that venial sin does not lead to death. He says, "All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not mortal" (1John 5:17). Venial sin does not lead to death of the soul; it does not lead to eternal death. Another thing that leads people to purgatory is unpaid debt of temporal punishment due to the sin already confessed. This shows that temporal punishment is remitted after death.
What makes them qualify for heaven is their hope. This is clear in today's readings. In the first reading, it is said, "For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them." St. Paul tells us the second reading that hope does not disappoint. He says, "Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." The reason for their hope is the love of God poured into their heart. The word "God's love has been poured into our hearts" is ambiguous: it could mean we are now certain of God's love for us; it could also mean we now love God. The sense that fit the context of the text is that we are now certain of God's love for us. He goes further to tell us how the love of God is made manifest through Jesus Christ. We have hope in God because we know that He loves us; because He loves us, He will fulfil our hope.
In the gospel reading, Jesus Christ assures us that those who are with Him will not be lost. He says, "All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out." The souls in purgatory died in christ; they died believing in Jesus Christ and loving God and their neighbours. They are qualified for heaven because they died believing in Jesus Christ and loving God and their neighbours. Jesus Christ says, "For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” The souls in purgatory are destined for eternal life.
May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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