Word to the Wise
Wednesday, November 2, 2016 - Nov. 2 - The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
[[3 options]; [13 options]; [12 options],]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. [Wisdom]
When I have the opportunity to go to my hometown of Natchitoches, LA, I make sure to visit the two cemeteries where my parents and my sister are buried. All Souls Day is really one day to remind us of many days that we can celebrate the memory of our loved ones who have died. It is not only a reminder of the gift of their lives for us, but also of the gift of memory which keeps them alive for us.
When I lived in San Antonio, the cemeteries were brightly decorated on this day with flowers and families would gather and spend hours at the tombs of the deceased. Special bread, called Pan de los Muertos (Bread of the Dead), would be baked and consumed. If the deceased family member had a special beverage, some of that was brought and poured on the ground. If a child is being remembered, a favorite toy might be brought for the day. Different cultures celebrate in different ways.
The scriptures from Wisdom and the Gospel of John today remind us that God has made us to belong to God and return to God. I love the opening words from Wisdom, which I quoted above, but there are further lines at the end: "Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: for grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect." In the Gospel of John, we have these words of Jesus: "And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day." I am counting on those words for my beloved deceased and for myself as well. AMEN
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