Daily Catholic Lectio. Sat, 2 Nov ’24. All will come to me!

Daily Catholic Lectio

Saturday, 2 November 2024

Wisdom 3:1-9. Romans 6:3-9. John 6:37-40

All Souls Day

All will come to me!

“You who are walking, think about your steps, and of your steps, think about the final step” – Pope Francis recalls this tomb inscription in his homily on All Souls Day [2021]

We, who are walking, must mind our step; one day we will have our final step.

Today, our Holy Mother Church invites us to express our communion with the suffering Church in purgatory through our prayers, offering of Masses, and intercessions. This day has its basis in the Bible, where we find Judah collecting shekels from the people to pray for the dead (cf. 2 Mac 12).

How does the Bible understand death?

The Holy Bible uses the following metaphors to bring forth the meaning of death:

(a) ‘Valley of the shadow of death’ (cf. Ps 23:4). David, who calls the Lord his shepherd, recalls that his difficult situations in life were like the ‘shadow of death.’ The shadow, or darkness of death is impenetrable.

(b) ‘Shepherd’s tent and weaver’s roll’ (cf. Isa 38:12). When the work is done, the tent is removed, and the roll is cut off from the loom.

(c) ‘Weaver’s shuttle’ (cf. Job 7:6). Job laments that his days run like a weaver’s shuttle. This metaphor underlines the swiftness and shortness of human life.

(d) ‘War’ (cf. Eccl 8:8). Ecclesiastes, comparing death to war, says, “No one can escape from the war of death, and no one can bribe to get out of it.” Death binds us all.

(e) ‘Flower and shadow’ (cf. Isa 40:7-8). Human life is compared to a flower that withers away and a shadow that passes quickly.

(f) ‘Sleep’ (cf. Jn 11:11-14. Mk 5:39). Describing Lazarus’s death, Jesus says, ‘Lazarus is sleeping.’ Death is understood as a long, deep sleep.

What do we do on All Souls Day?

Saint Augustine, in his Confessions, recording about his mother’s (Saint Monica’s) death, writes: “We thought that my mother would have desired to be buried near her husband. But she told us, ‘You bury me wherever you want to! My Lord is able to resurrect me from anywhere. But forget me not at the altar.’”

Monica’s words tell us three things: (a) At our death, our body does not matter to us anymore. The body dies, but the soul lives. (b) We must remember and pray for the dead; and (c) We will rise one day. The Lord will resurrect our body and soul.

The Sacred Tradition of the Church invites us to remember and pray for the dead.

In the first reading, the author of Wisdom of Solomon says, “The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.” The souls that are in our hands when we are alive will go to God when we die. They go to the safest place. Jesus says in the gospel reading, “All will come to me.” All will go to Jesus on the Last Day and all will obtain eternal life. The second reading invites us to be united with Jesus in his death so that we may be united with him in life eternal.

The memorial gives us three life lessons:

(a) Memento mori! Carpe diem!

Life is short. Life that is lived with our last step in mind is lived well. As the candle melts, our lives melt, and as the smoke of the incense disappears, we too disappear. But as long as we are alive, we give light, and we give fragrance. These brothers and sisters, whom we recall today, gave light, life, and sweetness to our lives. Remember death (memento mori)! and seize the day, every day (carpe diem)!

(b) Life before death!

Often times, we are preoccupied with life after death. But it is our life before death that defines our life after. Let us fix our minds and hearts here on earth and live our lives well, with gratitude and care.

(c) We are not alone – at death!

Death frightens us because we have to face it alone. But we are not alone in death. As we remember our near and dear ones, we will be remembered and prayed for. Death is a thin fence between our loved ones and us.

Summing it up,

The Bible begins with the words, “You are dust, and to dust you will return” (cf. Gen 3:19), and ends with the words, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (cf. Rev 21:4). We stand with the deceased, who are between death and immortality. Our prayers are their bridges.

‘All will come to me!’ These are the words of Jesus and of the tomb! But we are not afraid. For there is life beyond the tomb. The empty tomb of Jesus is the answer to the tombs that we visit today. At this tomb, we will see the one who sees us (cf. Gen 16).

“Grant them eternal rest, O Lord! May the perpetual light shine upon them!

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.”

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy