“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.”
Revelation 7:9
In the last days of October, many families set out on the road. We pack candles and chrysanthemums, travel to our home towns, wash gravestones and rake leaves. It is a beautiful custom that speaks of memory and faithfulness. Yet it is easy to let cleaning, traffic and shopping crowd out what matters most in these days. Here are a few simple steps for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so that we can live the Solemnity of All Saints well.
First the feast, then the cemetery
November 1 is not a day of sadness. It is a solemnity of joy: the Church looks at the great multitude of those who are already with God and believes that this is our future too. This year the solemnity falls on a Sunday, which is all the more reason to begin the day with Holy Mass. We will hear the Gospel of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12a), a map of holiness for ordinary people.
Prayer for the dead has its own day, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, on November 2. In practice the two days often merge into one experience, but their order is worth remembering: first the joy of heaven, then our prayer for those who are still on their way there.
Confession before the feast
Many parishes offer extra hours for confession on Friday and Saturday. It is a good moment to go before the busy days begin. Confession is also one of the conditions for the indulgence for the dead described below.
The indulgence for the dead: a gift we can give them
From November 1 to 8, the faithful can obtain each day a plenary indulgence that is offered only for the dead. The condition is a devout visit to a cemetery with a prayer for the dead, even a silent one. In addition, on All Souls Day (from noon on November 1 until midnight on November 2), the indulgence can be obtained by visiting a church or chapel and praying there the Our Father and the Creed.
The usual conditions for a plenary indulgence also apply:
- sacramental confession (it can be a few days before or after, and one confession is enough for several indulgences),
- Holy Communion,
- prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father, for example an Our Father and a Hail Mary,
- freedom from attachment to any sin, even venial sin.
A plenary indulgence can be obtained once a day. If the full disposition is lacking, the indulgence is partial. Prayer is never wasted.
A list of names before you go
Before you leave, sit down for a moment and write the names of your loved ones who have died: grandparents, parents, friends, neighbors, and also those nobody remembers anymore. Many parishes keep a book or list of names during November, remembered at Mass and in prayer for the dead. The same piece of paper will help you at the grave.
At the grave: a moment of silence, not only tidying
A candle is a sign of the light of Christ, which does not go out. Once the flowers are arranged and the light is lit, stop for a while. A few minutes are enough: Eternal rest, a decade of the rosary, the names from your list. It is also worth lighting a candle on a forgotten grave where no one has placed a light for years.
Talking with children about the saints
In these days children often hear only about death. Tell them about the saints whose names they bear, and that holiness is for everyone, including them. Many parishes hold gatherings on the evening of October 31 where children dress up as saints. It is a good way to make the eve of the solemnity joyful and full of meaning.
Saturday evening
The evening before the solemnity can be spent quietly at home. Turn off the television, light a candle, pray the Litany of the Saints together, or read the Gospel of the Beatitudes. An evening like this prepares the heart better than the most carefully cleaned gravestone.
Toward the Father's house
All these steps lead to one thing: the hope that those we love, and we ourselves, are on the way to the Father's house. Saint John puts it simply and beautifully:
“Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is.”
1 John 3:2
May these holy days be a blessing for you and your family.
#AllSaints #AllSouls #IndulgenceForTheDead #PrayerForTheDead #Holiness #homileo
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