COMMEMORATION OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

“Take away the stone” . . . “Untie him and let him go”

From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them above all in Eucharistic sacrifice. This practice is witnessed prominently in the Eucharistic Prayers: “Remember also, Lord, your servants N. and N., who have gone before us with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace. . . Grant them, O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ, a place of refreshment, light and peace”. (Eucharistic Prayer I /The Roman Canon) “Remember also our brother and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face” (Eucharistic Prayer II); “To our departed brothers and sister and to all who were pleasing to you at their passing from this life, give kind admittance to your kingdom” (Eucharistic Prayer III); “Remember also those who have died in the peace of your Christ and all the dead whose faith you alone have known” (Eucharistic Prayer IV). The Church also from the tenth century established a Commemoration of the Faithful Departed on November 2. These and other liturgical-historical facts are witnesses to how the Church has never forgotten or failed in her mission of sanctifying her children even the departed through sacraments and prayers.

In a special way, however, the Church dedicates the month of November to praying for the faithful departed, exults and encourages all the faithful to pray for the members of “the suffering Church”. During this month the Church manifest her eschatological faith and reaffirms her teaching, on the four last things of a human person which are: death, judgement, heaven and hell, but with much emphasis on the temporal transitional purifying state known as purgatory. The Church also reaffirms her strong faith and teaching on God’s loving mercy and forgiveness and on the power and importance of praying for the dead. We pray to obtain from God either deliverance or relief for the souls in purgatory. We pray that they may be purified and may attain the beatific vision of God. We pray that the Merciful Lord opens the gates of paradise to his servants, that they may be granted eternal life and let the perpetual light shine upon them. The Church, through prayer and sacrifice intercedes to the Loving and Merciful Lord to forgive whatever sins they committed through human weakness and grant them everlasting peace.

Besides prayer, the Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead. It is through prayer and these other acts that we share in the salvific work of Christ, in so doing we are obeying the Lord and Savior and responding to his command to “Take away the stone. . .” and “. . . Untie them and let them go” as he commanded his followers at the raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-44.

Let us, therefore, be charitable and generous to our brothers and sisters. “May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in eternal peace, Amen.

~Fr. Justus