Praying for the Dead

Today is All Souls Day a day when we remember and pray for those loved ones who, baptized in Christ have gone before us, the holy souls in purgatory. Many people go to the graves of their loved ones today and clean and/or bring flowers. If at all possible get to Mass and pray for those you have lost. The first reading is particularly beautiful. Take a gander: Wis 3:1-9



Here is an excerpt from the homily that Pappa Bene gave today:

"Let us today renew our hope in eternal life, one really drawn in the death and resurrection of Christ. "I am risen and now I am always with you," the Lord tells us, and my hand sustains you. Wherever you might fall, you will fall in my hands and I will be present even at the gate of death. Where none can accompany you any longer and where you can bring nothing, there I await you to transform for you darkness into light.

Christian hope is never something merely individual, it's always a hope for others. Our lives are deeply linked, one to another, and the good and bad each one does always impacts the rest. So the prayer of a pilgrim soul in the world can help another soul that continues purifying itself after death.

And for this, today the church invites us to pray for our beloved dead and to spend time at their tombs in the cemeteries. Mary, star of hope, make stronger and more authentic our faith in eternal life and sustain our prayer of suffrage for our departed brothers".

Read the whole thing here.