Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 11-02-02, The Commemoration Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Reading I
Is 25:6-9

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from all faces;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. (4ab) Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Reading II
Rom 8:31b-35, 37-39

Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised,
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?

No, in all these things, we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel
Mt 11:25-30

At that time Jesus exclaimed:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

From: Romans 8:31-35, 37-39

Trust in God

[31] What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against
us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,
will he not also give us all things with him? [33] Who shall bring any
charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies; [34] who is to
condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the
dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us?
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?

[37] No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved
us. [38] For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
[39] nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able
to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Commentary:

31-39. The elect will emerge unscathed and victorious from all attacks,
dangers and sufferings and will do so not through their own efforts but
by virtue of the all-powerful aid of him who has loved them from all
eternity and who did not hesitate to have his own Son die for their
salvation. It is true that as long as we are on this earth we cannot
attain salvation, but we are assured that we will attain it precisely
because God will not withhold all the graces we need to obtain this
happy outcome: all that is needed is that we desire to receive this
divine help. Nothing that happens to us can separate us from the Lord
--not fear of death or love of life, not the bad angels or devils, not
the princes or the powers of this world, nor the sufferings we undergo
or which threaten us nor the worst that might befall us. "Paul
himself", St John Chrysostom reminds us, "had to contend with numerous
enemies. The barbarians attacked him; his custodians laid traps for
him; even the faithful, sometimes in great numbers, rose against him;
yet Paul always came out victorious. We should not forget that the
Christian who is faithful to the laws of his God will defeat both men
and Satan himself" ("Hom. on Rom.", 15).

This is the attitude which enables us to live as children of God, who
fear neither life nor death: "Our Lord wants us to be in the world and
to love the world but without being worldly. Our Lord wants us to
remain in this world--which is now so mixed up and where the clamor of
lust and disobedience and purposeless rebellion can be heard--to teach
people to live with joy [...]. Don't be afraid of the paganized world:
our Lord has in fact chosen us to be leaven, salt and light in this
world. Don't be worried. The world won't harm you unless you want it
to. No enemy of our soul can do anything if we don't consent. And we
won't consent, with the grace of God and the protection of our Mother
in heaven" (S. Bernal, "Monsignor Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer", p.
213).

31. This exclamation of the Apostle vividly reveals the full extent of
the love of God the Father, who not only listens to our prayers but
anticipates our needs. God is with us, he is always by our side. This
is a cry expressing confidence and optimism, despite our personal
wretchedness; it is firmly based on our sense of divine sonship.
"Clothed in grace, we can cross mountains (cf. Ps 103:10), and climb
the hill of our Christian duty, without halting on the way. If we use
these resources with a firm purpose and beg our Lord to grant us an
ever increasing hope, we shall possess the infectious joy of those who
know they are children of God: 'If God is for us, who is against us?'
(Rom 8:31) Let us be optimists. Moved by the power of hope, we shall
fight to wipe away the trail of filth and slime left by the sowers of
hatred. We shall find a new joyful perspective to the world, seeing
that it has sprung forth beautiful and fair from the hands of God. We
shall give it back to him with that same beauty" (J. Escriva, "Friends
of God", 219).

38-39. "Angels", "principalities": names of different angelic
hierarchies (cf. Eph 1:21; 3:10); also a possible reference to fallen
angels, demons (cf. 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 6:12). "Powers" can mean the same
as "angels" and "principalities".

"Height" and "depth" may refer to cosmic forces which, in the culture of
that time, were thought to have some influence over the lives of men.

By listing these powerful superior forces (real or imaginary) St Paul is
making the point that nothing and nobody, no created thing, is stronger
than God's love for us.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Matthew 11:25-30

Jesus Thanks His Father

[25] At that time Jesus declared, "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of
Heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and
understanding and revealed them to babes; [26] yea, Father, for such
was Thy gracious will. [27] All things have been delivered to Me by My
Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows
the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal
Him. [28] Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. [29] Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am
gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
[30] For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

Commentary:

25-26. The wise and understanding of this world, that is, those who
rely on their own judgment, cannot accept the revelation which Christ
has brought us. Supernatural outlook is always connected with
humility. A humble person, who gives himself little importance, sees;
a person who is full of self-esteem fails to perceive supernatural
things.

27. Here Jesus formally reveals His divinity. Our knowledge of a
person shows our intimacy with Him, according to the principle given by
St. Paul: "For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of
the man which is in him?" (1 Corinthians 2:11). The Son knows the
Father by the same knowledge as that by which the Father knows the
Son. This identity of knowledge implies oneness of nature; that is to
say, Jesus is God just as the Father is God.

28-30. Our Lord calls everyone to come to Him. We all find things
difficult in one way or another. The history of souls bears out the
truth of these words of Jesus. Only the Gospel can fully satisfy the
thirst for truth and justice which sincere people feel. Only our Lord,
our Master--and those to whom He passes on His power--can soothe the
sinner by telling him, "Your sins are forgiven" (Matthew 9:2). In this
connection Pope Paul VI teaches: "Jesus says now and always, `Come to
Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' His
attitude towards us is one of invitation, knowledge and compassion;
indeed, it is one of offering, promise, friendship, goodness, remedy of
our ailments; He is our comforter; indeed, our nourishment, our bread,
giving us energy and life" ("Homily on Corpus Christi", 13 June 1974).

"Come to Me": the Master is addressing the crowds who are following
Him, "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew
9:36). The Pharisees weighed them down with an endless series of petty
regulations (cf. Acts 15:10), yet they brought no peace to their
souls. Jesus tells these people, and us, about the kind of burden He
imposes: "Any other burden oppresses and crushes you, but Christ's
actually takes weight off you. Any other burden weighs down, but
Christ's gives you wings. If you take a bird's wings away, you might
seem to be taking weight off it, but the more weight you take off, the
more you tie it down to the earth. There it is on the ground, and you
wanted to relieve it of a weight; give it back the weight of its wings
and you will see how it flies" (St. Augustine, "Sermon" 126).

"All you who go about tormented, afflicted and burdened with the burden
of your cares and desires, go forth from them, come to Me and I will
refresh you and you shall find for your souls the rest which your
desires take from you" (St. John of the Cross, "Ascent of Mount
Carmel", Book 1, Chapter 7, 4).

From The Word Among Us

Saturday, November 02, 2002

Meditation
John 6:37-40

All Souls

This is one of those special days where we get two outpourings of grace at once. Traditionally, All Souls Day is set aside to pray for those in Purgatory. Drawing from Scripture and Sacred Tradition, the church has taught that everyone who dies in God’s grace but is not yet perfectly purified undergoes a final purification. These are the ones who “will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15; see sections 1030-1032 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church). Similarly, various figures in the Old Testament “made atonement for the dead that they might be delivered from their sin” (2 Maccabees 12:42). So this is the first outpouring. Today is a day to recall and intercede for those who are on the threshold of heaven.

What’s the second outpouring? Today is also a day to celebrate the firmness of our salvation. In baptism our old life was buried with Christ, and we have risen with him into a whole new life. God doesn’t want Jesus to lose anyone (John 6:39). Does that mean that now that we’re baptized we can sin all we want? Of course not! God hasn’t withdrawn his commandments. Common sense should tell us, as the Scriptures do (Mark 1:4,15; 16:16), that baptism must be accompanied by belief and repentance.

Today, God wants his love to so pierce our hearts that we would never want to offend him or hurt anyone else. As we come to understand that we were lost in sin and that Jesus offered himself up for us, we will want to imitate him. Jesus’ love for us will move us to purify ourselves of every vestige of sin, every attitude that resists his words and his ways. Our outlook on ourselves and on the world will change, and we will become more and more like Jesus.

Why would we even want to wait for Purgatory? God is calling us to maturity—here and now—to receive all the gifts he wants to give us. He wants to empower us to build his kingdom and spread his gospel. By his grace we can change the world. Let’s do it!

“Jesus, you are the bread that came down from heaven to bring us life. Nourish and strengthen me so that I might love as you love and in the end be welcomed into the beauty and wonder of your kingdom.”

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