Remembering the Dead to Alter Our Lives!

November 2, Thursday, The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Daily Readings: Wisdom 3:1–9; Romans 6:3–9; John 6:37–40

On All Souls Day, we remember the loss of loved ones and offer our prayers for them. We are called to remember our mortality as humans.

Today, we are called to honor the lives of the dead in the face of the victorious resurrection of Christ himself. Death may look powerful and threatening. However, we are called to realize that our God is omnipotent and more powerful than death and that it does not have the final say in a Christian’s life. There is life after death, and therefore, death as a finality is not a reality for Christians.

If the life of Jesus had ended in his death, it would have been yet another human tragedy. But it was not so! The resurrection of Christ has given us the hope that there is ‘life after death’ and that it is more glorious than our life on earth.

As such, the day leaves us with three lessons.

First, to follow the model of Jesus
Jesus’ life taught us how to live, and his death taught us how to die. If we hold the view that Jesus' resurrection glorified him, then one day, as a result of our faith in him, it would also be ours.

Second, to make this one life meaningful
If we have to make meaning out of this life, human mortality should not cripple us but give us wings. It should help us experience the urgency of living our daily lives in goodness and love, just as Jesus lived his.

Third, Heaven as the Goal
If heaven is our goal, we should add life to our years and not vice versa. Our worthy life on earth will earn heaven as its reward.

As we gratefully remember our loved ones for the memories they have given us, let us pray for God’s grace to live our lives in faith and love, imitating the life of Christ himself.