November comments from the State Chaplain

MN KC Blog * Written by David Whatmuff

Honor, Prayer, and Sacrifice

We start the month of November with All Saints’ Day honoring all those who have preceded us in faith and have attained heaven. We follow with All Souls’ Day honoring those who are still in the process of reaching heaven. These two solemnities are part of our Catholic tradition. They are also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Churches and by a few other Christian denominations, especially those who believe that we, as the Church Militant here on earth, are able to work our way to heaven through our words and deeds.

In the Divine Economy, God created all and found it very good. There was no imperfection in what He created. We wrecked this harmony because of personal desire to know more than Him, represented in the Fall of Adam and Eve. However, being a loving Father, He prepared His people for the coming of His Only Son to the world through the words and deeds of worthy leaders and prophets, as well as personal experiences of dryness and richness in the journey of encountering Him. The Church sees the importance of the living members of the Church honoring the Church Triumphant, those who have reached heaven, with our prayers.

On the first day of November, All Saints’ Day, let us remember those people who have being instrumental in our lives, who taught us faith in our awesome God who is there for us and has called us from our mother’s womb to bring present His kingdom in our midst. We are also encouraged to pray for the Church Penitent, those who are purging their sin and need our assistance.

The practice of praying and offering sacrifices for the souls in purgatory is found in 2nd Maccabees 12:42-46 which was written between the year 180 B.C. and 161 B.C. Judas Maccabees had the noble practice of asking his soldiers to give some money to send to the Jerusalem Temple for an expiatory sacrifice for those who died with sin.

May we offer extra prayers and sacrifices for the souls of our faithful departed who are in need of our prayers, especially those souls who donít have anyone to pray for them.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

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