“For this is the will of my Father,
John 6:40
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”
Reflection
Today we celebrate All Souls’ Day, a day where we remember our deceased loved ones and pray for their souls. Today’s Gospel reflects our hope that we shall be raised on the last day and be eternally united with God. Jesus tells us that he will not reject anyone who comes to him, and will not lose anything the Father has given to him.
We pray in a special way for our relatives and friends who have died today. We do not know if they are united with God in heaven, and so it is our duty to pray for their souls, just as one day we hope family will pray for our own souls once we pass.
It is common for people to say that their loved one is with Jesus in heaven, but this cannot be confirmed, so we should always remember to pray for them instead. Today is a good reminder that praying for the dead should be a daily practice – how can you incorporate praying for deceased loves ones into your daily prayer?
Saint of the Day
All Souls’ Day
| Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. |
