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All Saints Day & All Souls Day
As October draws to a close and November (and World Series Baseball) is right around the corner, the Church focuses on two very important Catholic celebrations: All Saints Day and All Souls Day. These celebrations help us to focus on the twofold nature of our spiritual journey: The first is that we are "saints in training" and by virtue of our baptism a part of the Communion of Saints. Saints, of course, are those gone before us with the mark of faith in full communion with God and a part of the Beatific Vision (the ability to see God face to face). Just as we have intercessors and people who pray for us here on earth, our Blessed Mother and all of the saints intercede and pray for us before the throne of God. So many of us have devotions and special connections with saints (like Padre Pio for example). However, we do have to be careful to make sure that our love of any saint and the important role they play in our lives doesn't supersede the adoration and love that we need to have for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The celebration of All Saints Day helps remind us of our connection with the saints in heaven and how we long to be a part of their number. But the truth is that we are not quite there just yet! That's where All Souls Day comes in. As the Spiritual Works of Mercy impel us, we have an obligation to pray for the dead. There are so many family members and friends that we love that have died and their passing has had a profound effect on our lives. We miss them, especially if they have died unexpectedly, and for those who suffered greatly, are thankful that their suffering is now at an end. The danger becomes when we understandably "canonize" our loved ones and forget the fact that each and every one of us are poor sinners, struggling on our way to conversion and heaven. So we continue to pray for the dead, so that if any aspect of sin might remain, our merciful Lord will forgive our loved ones from their offenses. It is also a reminder that we will all die someday and recognize the fragility and preciousness of our earthy and spiritual lives. In this month of November let us continue to pray for every sinner and to pray with all the saints so that we can be with all those washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb and stand before the throne of God glorifying Him for all eternity!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Rob Sinatra
