All Souls Day

 

All Souls Day

Pope Benedict XVI, wrote: “I would go so far as to say that if there was no purgatory, then we would have to invent it, for who would dare to say of him/herself that he or she was able to stand directly before God”. He goes on to say that purgatory means God can put the pieces back together again that we presumably have broken off by our sins.

This is the feast we celebrate today, a remembrance of friends and loved ones who have passed away. This day follows All Saints Day in order to shift the focus from those in heaven to those in purgatory. This feast reminds us of our obligation to live holy lives; to live the way God has told us to live in the Scriptures.

Let us pause for a time today and remember all of those who in the past have had a significant difference in our lives, who were good people, and ask God to receive them into his Kingdom.

May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Saying Thank You to the Communion of Saints

Saying Thank You to the Communion of Saints

Remembering to say thank you to our guides and helpers is important for the completion of the assistance they have given.

We may have become accustomed to asking for help from the unseen world - whether from saints, angels, soul friends, guides, or ancestral spirits - but sometimes we may forget to close our connection afterwards with a thank you. When we connect to these energies for assistance, it is much like a phone connection. Forgetting to close the conversation with a proper “goodbye” is like not hanging up. While that line is still connected, others can have trouble getting through, while in the meantime, batteries are being drained. Saying “thank you” is a way of releasing our concerns into trusted hands and getting out of the way so that the universe‚s divine order can work on our behalf.

As spiritual beings, we may talk about “staying connected,” but our connection needs to be with our source. We can plug in and recharge, but we run on batteries in between, and every connection we make utilizes some of our personal power. Even being surrounded by people that energize us has its limits, and at some point we will feel ready to go off on our own to do what is ours to do. Instead of trying to be constantly connected, we can turn to these beings for help in a way that is more like placing an order. We contact them, ask for what we need, and then say thank you and goodbye.

Beings of the light (Jesus) don’t require our gratitude; it is an energetic acknowledgement of trust and release that benefits us. When we bring ourselves to a sense of being grateful, we affirm that what we have asked is already done. Then we can move forward with confidence to do the things we are meant to do, while knowing that all will be well.

Who are You?

A woman was in a coma and dying. She suddenly had a feeling that she was taken up to heaven and stood before the Judgment Seat.

“Who are you?" a Voice said to her.

“I'm the wife of the mayor," she replied.

“I did not ask whose wife you are but who you are."

“I'm the mother of four children."

“I did not ask whose mother you are, but who you are."

“I'm a school teacher."

“I did not ask what your profession is but who you are.”

And so it went. No matter what she replied, she did not seem to give a satisfactory answer to the question, “Who are you?”

“I'm a Christian.”

“I did not ask what your religion is but who you are.”

“I'm the one who went to church everyday and always helped the poor and needy.”

“I did not ask what you did but who you are.”

She evidently failed the examination, for she was sent back to earth. When she recovered form her illness, she was determined to find out who she was. And that made all the difference.

Your duty is to be. Not to be somebody, not to be nobody - for therein lies greed and ambition - not to be this or that - and thus conditioned - just to be.

From Anthony de Mello, SJ

Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Serenity

Lord, make me an instrument of your Serenity

Where there is addiction, let me bring Recovery

Where there is shame, let me bring Healing

Where there is hatred, let me bring Love

Where there is hurt, let me bring Forgiveness

Where there is prejudice, let me bring acceptance

Where there is denial, let me bring Honesty

Where there is fear, let me bring Courage

Where there is doubt, let me bring Faith

Where there is despair, let me bring Hope

Where there is darkness, let me bring Light

Where there is sadness, let me bring Joy

Lord, grant that I may seek

Not so much to be comforted, but to Comfort others

Not so much to be understood, as to Understand others

Not so much to be loved, as to Love others

For it is in Giving that we receive

For it is by Forgiving, that we are Released from resentments

For it is by Living in God’s love, that we are granted a Daily Reprieve

And it is by Dying to our old life, that we Awaken to a New Life of Spirituality. 

Amen

Hope

 

Carry the Message

There's a story about a troubled mother who had a daughter who was addicted to sweets. One day she approached Gandhi, explained the problem to him and asked whether he might talk to the young girl. Gandhi replied: "Bring your daughter to me in three weeks time and I will speak to her." After three weeks, the mother brought her daughter to him. He took the young girl aside and spoke to her about the harmful effects of eating sweets excessively and urged her to abandon her bad habit. The mother thanked Gandhi for this advice and then asked him: "But why didn't you speak to her three weeks ago?" Gandhi replied: "Because three weeks ago, I was still addicted to sweets."

And there's the lesson: We must do more than just point out the right road to others, we must be on that road ourselves. For this reason, the integrity of our private lives and private morals, down to the smallest detail, is the real power behind our words.