32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Praise be to Jesus Christ
Was your week peaceful?
Today is the first Sunday in November. May God protect us and lead us to the path of hope.
We remember our loved ones who have departed and pray for them in November. It is also a time to contemplate our own mortality. Church discusses death in order reveal hope to all of us.
After my recent accident, I also had a thought, which I meditated on. When the car skidded and rolled, I was hanging upside down for a brief moment. At that moment, the seat belt was holding me securely in place and I felt relieved knowing I was safe.
After the car rolled completely and stopped upright, I thought about a passage in the bible: “For, even if I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Psalm 23:4) Just as the seatbelt made me feel at ease during the accident, we will also be comforted when facing death if we can feel Jesus’ tight hold on us.
Life has both light and darkness. There is joy and despair. There is happiness and sadness. There is life and death. You cannot have one without the other. When you are born then you will also die.
Death is unavoidable and real. If you are not prepared, then it is very difficult to accept it. When you are one step closer to God, then you will able to face death without much fear and anxiety.
Even in the shadow of death, God will embrace and protect us. We find hope in God.
We also share hope with those who have departed. During the month of Holy Souls, we pray for the dead. Our parish will pray for the dead 15 min before each mass during November.
We can also visit the cemetery and pray for them. Given the current pandemic, Church has issued plenary indulgence during the month of November.
We also pray after each meal for the dead since they are included in the prayer.
It is now the month of Holy Souls. May God through His blessings give peaceful rest to those who have departed before us. Amen.