The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Honoring the Dead
in the Friars' Cemetery
Mount Saint Francis, Indiana

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

Because the Lectionary offers a wide selection of readings for All Souls Day, I’ve selected the above text from the Gospel of Saint John. The Catholic Bishops webpage offers this gospel but if you attend Mass today you might hear a different one.

In these wonderful verses Jesus describes his intense affection and willing obedience to God His Father. The primary reason he saves – brace yourself for this! – is because he loves God so much. Yes, he loves us too, with intense and passionate devotion. But, as he says, he didn’t come to do his own will – his “own thing.”

If I set out to do what I want to do I might be easily distracted. It depends upon how important it is to me. Distracted, disappointed, discouraged – I might give it up. It was important to me but I lost interest.

I toyed for five years with model ship building because it seemed like a terrific hobby. I never finished my first boat. I just couldn’t find the time or the interest to learn how it’s done, nor the willingness to make mistakes and learn from them. 

However, if someone whom I love and adore asks me to do something, I will doggedly keep at it!

Jesus wants to save us primarily because The Father wills it, and he brings to that mission more zeal and devotion than we can possibly imagine.

Secondly Jesus wills to save us because he shares flesh with us. He loves us as he loves his own body. That flesh is “a bond that can never be broken.” Though we often fail to notice it, Jesus has shown us that bond is more willing to make sacrifice than the bonds of mother/child or husband/wife.

Except for his words it would not be possible to say which is more important to Jesus. These two ambitions – to please his Father and to save his people – are brilliant like twin suns. Which is closer; which is hotter; which is brighter? As we gaze upon his cross, we go blind in his love.

On All Souls Day we remember the One

who has loved us unto the end.

Once again we give our Beloved Dead

into his trustworthy hands.

He knows their names and will

call them from the grave

when that Great

Gettin’-Up Mornin’ comes.

For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”