COMMEMORATION OF ALL SOULS: HOMILY BY FR. ISAAC CHIMA

THEME: Remembering Our Dead: Death Is Not the End of Love

Dearest friends in Christ, yesterday, we rejoiced in the triumph of our brothers and sisters who have overcome the trials of this world. They remained steadfast in faith, ran the race with perseverance, and now wear the crown of glory bestowed by God. Today, the Church turns our hearts toward those who have departed but have not yet reached their eternal home. They are journeying onwards, but held back at the moment by the remnants of sin, awaiting full purification. It is our sacred duty to pray for them, entrusting them to the mercy of God, who alone can cleanse and welcome them into the beatific vision, united with the saints in heaven.

This day, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is a profound reminder of the fullness of the Church. We are part of a divine communion that has the Church triumphant in heaven, the Church militant here on earth, and the Church suffering in purgatory. The Church triumphant rejoices in eternal glory; the Church militant continues the pilgrimage of faith; and the Church suffering undergoes purification, longing for the embrace of heaven. Today, we as the Church militant lift our prayers to God, asking for grace and mercy on behalf of the suffering Church in purgatory.

The Church’s teaching on purgatory reflects the vision of St. John that “Nothing impure will enter heaven” (Rev. 21:27), and the wisdom of St. John’s teaching that “There is sin that does not lead to eternal death” (1 John 5:16–17). Dear friends, what becomes of those who die with sins that do not merit eternal separation from God, as John taught? Purgatory is the answer; it is a merciful temporal state of cleansing, where souls are cleansed and prepared to enter the heavenly banquet.

Just as Judas Maccabeus (2 Maccabees 12:38-46) urged prayers for fallen soldiers, we too are called to pray for our departed loved ones. We entrust them to the boundless mercy of God, who gave His only Son for our salvation. If God went to the extent of sacrificing His only Son to redeem us, then we cannot doubt the immensity of His love and mercy for us.

We pray today because we believe in a God whose dominion extends beyond the grave. He is the God of the living and the dead. We believe in His power to raise dry bones to life (Ez 37:12), and in His promise not to abandon His faithful in death nor let His beloved see decay (Ps 16:10).

Remembering our deceased loved ones is a natural human impulse. But for Catholics, this memory is not passive; it is rather active, accompanied by intercessory prayer for them. We pray not only for those we knew, but also for all the departed whose faith is known to God alone. We do these prayers because of the deep bond we share with them in the communion of saints. Our Church is not only a gathering of the living; it is a sacred fellowship that includes heaven, earth, and purgatory, a communion of the living and the dead.

The condition of the dead reminds us to live holy lives, so that when our own earthly journey ends, we may enter heaven unimpeded. Let us not forget that the dead were our beloved ones. And love does not die with the body. Death is not the end of love, and it never brought an end to the love we shared with them. Rather, the love we shared with them endures. Divine love is also eternal; it is far beyond our comprehension.

Today, we commend our departed brothers and sisters to the eternal love of God. We pray that they may be swiftly freed from the purifying fire (1 Cor 3:15), and that God, who knows them better, may judge them with mercy. For if God were to count our sins, who could stand? But with Him there is mercy, and for this we revere Him (Ps 130:3–4).

Dear friends, we pray for all the dead, for we do not know who among them has already entered into peace. Though time may have softened the pain of their absence, the Church calls us never to forget them. Let this month of November be a time of special prayer and remembrance. Our prayers will not be in vain; they will help our loved ones reach their heavenly home.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chima

 COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (Nov. 2)

Theme: Remembering our dead: Death is not the end of love

Dearest friends in Christ, yesterday we celebrated the triumph of our brothers and sisters over the troubles and trials of this world. Despite the challenges and hardships they faced in this world, they kept the faith, ran the good race, and received the crown of glory from God. Then, today, the church reminds us of our brothers and sisters who have left us but are yet to reach the heavenly home. They are still held by one problem or the other on their way to heaven. The church reminds us that it is our duty to pray for them, asking the merciful God to cleanse them of all traces of sin and reward them with the beatific vision, where they will be united with the saints.

The day of the commemoration of the faithful departed is a very special day in the church. It is a day that brings before us the reality of a complete church, that is, the awareness of the communion between the church triumphant, the militant church, and the suffering church. The triumphant church is the church in heaven, the church of the saints and angels; the church militant is the church here on earth on its journey to eternity; and the suffering church is the church in purgatory, those who are undergoing the process of purification from the sins they didn’t atone for here on earth. So, this is a day specially dedicated by the militant church to offer prayers to the church triumphant on behalf of the suffering church.

Remembering dead relatives and friends is a natural thing in the world. But for Catholics, the memory of our dead relatives is accompanied with intercessory prayer for them and for all the dead whose faith God alone knows. We are aware that nothing impure will enter heaven (Rev. 21:27) and also that not all sins lead to ‘eternal’ death (1Jn 5:16-17). So, we pray for these dead relatives because we believe that the power and dominion of God extend also to the land of the dead; God is God of the living and the dead; we also believe that God’s mercy is boundless and that He can raise the dry bones and give them life (Ez 37:12). We believe that God will not abandon his faithful among the dead nor allow his beloved to experience decay in the land of the dead (Ps 16:10).   

We remember these our brothers and sisters who are in purgatory because of the bond we share with them as members of the Church of Jesus Christ, because our church is a place where there is communion of the living and the dead. Their condition reminds us to keep striving to live holy lives in order not to be held by anything on the way to heaven when we reach the end of our earthly journey.

The dead were our beloved ones. Today, we remind ourselves that death is never the end of love. Death does not bring an end to true love; death never brought an end to the love we shared with them when they were alive. Death is not the end of Divine love either. The love of God is beyond human comprehension. We commend these our dead brothers and sisters into the eternal love of God, praying God that they may be liberated from the pain of the purging fire (1 Cor 3:15) as soon as possible. We pray God, who knows them better, to be merciful in his judgement, for if God should recall our iniquities, no one can stand, but with God there is mercy, and for this we revere Him (Ps 130:3-4).

Dear friends, today we pray for all the dead that God may not abandon them, since we may not tell, for sure, whether or not they have attained peace in heaven.  After many years of their departure, we may have overgrown the pain of their loss, but the church reminds us not to forget them eternally. Let the month of November be dedicated to offering special prayers for the departed. Our prayers will help them reach the heavenly home.

Help, Lord, the souls which Thou hast made,

The souls to Thee so dear,

In prison for the debt unpaid,

Of sins committed here.

These holy souls, they suffer on

Resigned in heart and will,

Until The high behest is done,

And justice has its fill.

Eternal repose grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them, may they rest in peace. Amen.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chima