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All Souls Day - November 2, 2014
Those Who Precede Us
Do you ever think about deceased family members? When was the last time you visited the resting place of a parent who has passed away? All Souls Day is a time to reminisce and past your memories in the presence of God.
WEEKLY BLOG LINK What's the best "team" and "coach" have you ever had?
NEW!!! VIDEOCAST!!! In this videocast series connecting the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the weekly gospel reading, Jesus' critique of the Pharisees and the virtue of solidarity. (Please note: the link for this videocast is to my YouTube page.)
MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we discuss the reality of the soul, that part of us that transcends our limitations and condition, that part of us that will survive death.
FIRST READING The Book of Daniel spoke to its audience in apocalyptic style. Laced with heavenly visions, chapter 12 predicted the salvation of the faithful and the resurrection of the dead.
PSALM Psalm 23 is the famous hymn that praises God for his care, like that of a shepherd. Our safety is in his hands, so we must trust him, no matter the troubles, In the end, all will be well.
SECOND READING In Romans 8, St. Paul asked his rhetorical question: if God is for us, who can be against us? That query set up a series of questions that answered themselves in the phrase: nothing can separate us from the love of God.
GOSPEL In John 12, Jesus compared himself to a grain of wheat; one must die to live. As he died to enter new life, so we must be willing to follow in his footsteps.
CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, Tommy dressed up in a black ninja costume foe Halloween, As he crossed the street, he froze before the headlights of an oncoming car. At the last moment, his father pulled him out of the way, into the safety of his arms. God, too, holds us in safety. In the story for the gospel, David and Jessie found an old book of photographs. Along with their mother, they saw relatives who passed away and discussed their family history. This day, we, too should remember our deceased loved ones in prayer.
FAMILY ACTIVITY Break out any old bood of photographs and review family history. Discuss the deceased and how they deserve our prayers, just like the living need them.
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