Two of my favorite days of the year are coming up. If you stop and think about it, they might be some of your favorite days, too.
I bet you think I’m talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas. They are certainly great days. But I’m actually talking about the first two days of November – All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
What a gift it is that the Church sets aside these two days, and even the entire month of November, to pray in a special way for our loved ones who have gone home to God.
On All Saints’ Day, we celebrate all those who have lived holy and beautiful lives but have not been formally recognized as saints by the Church. They are the people we remember as holy men and women – our parents, spouses, children, siblings, friends, and neighbors.
This year, I think of a longtime friend of mine who died suddenly in September. Chuck Short was a leader in Montgomery County who worked tirelessly for people with developmental differences and those who were downtrodden, forgotten, or in need of support. He strongly supported local charities, helping them secure county funding so they could continue their good work.
To me, Chuck was a holy man who lived a faithful life. He had a beautiful 51-year marriage with Maureen. He raised three wonderful children and cherished his six grandchildren. He gave so much back to the Church and the people of Montgomery County. I welcome the opportunity to pray for him.
My mother and father also lived good and holy lives. I think they were saints as well. They were not perfect. They had their faults. So did Peter, James, John, Thomas, Mary Magdalene, Martha, and so many other New Testament figures who walked with the Lord. Through it all, they were committed to Jesus and doing their best to live as they thought Jesus wanted them to.
I love celebrating All Saints’ Day as we remember in a special way all those we’ve known and loved who influenced us by how they lived. This is their day. I hope you will remember and pray for those who touched your own life and made a difference. They may not have the official title of saint, but we hope and pray they are in heaven today and praying for us.
We go immediately from All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 to All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2. We remember those who have died in God's friendship but may still be undergoing purification before entering fully into eternal life with God.
Purgatory is not so much about our sins as it is about any lingering effects of those sins. Our sins can be forgiven, but the effects of our actions can continue even after we receive forgiveness.
Think about someone who causes serious harm to another person. He may repent and be forgiven by God, but the effects of what he did can continue in the other person's life long after forgiveness has been received.
Purgatory is part of that final purification. It is where we are cleansed of whatever remains to be purified before we enter fully into God's presence. To me, that makes Purgatory a good place. We are at heaven’s door, preparing to enter.
At Mater Dei School, where I am chaplain, the boys sometimes say Purgatory is “God’s waiting room.” I like that description. We are waiting to enter eternal life with God. We know hell is off the table.
We don’t understand a whole lot about what Purgatory is like. It’s less a place and more a state of existence. Time is not the same in eternity as it is for us here on earth, but we know that we will be made clean.
The beautiful part is that we can play a role in that purification by praying for those in Purgatory. That’s what we do on All Souls’ Day and throughout November. The Church has long taught that our prayers can help those in Purgatory as they undergo this purification.
The Church even calls praying for the dead one of the seven Spiritual Works of Mercy. When we pray for our loved ones who have gone before us, we are doing an act of mercy for them. We entrust them to God's loving care and ask that they come fully into the presence of God.
What a beautiful way to continue loving someone after they have died. We may no longer be able to call, visit, or hold their hand, but we can pray for them. We can offer a Mass for them. We can ask God to bring them fully into his presence.
The Church sets aside November to do this in a special way. Many of our parishes celebrate Masses for those who have died. Some of us put the names of our loved ones on envelopes or add them to lists at our parishes to be part of the November celebrations. These are simple but beautiful ways to remember those dear to us and to offer our prayers for them.
Let’s celebrate well the gift of eternal life with God and our loved ones already in his presence. We celebrate our belief in Jesus, his Resurrection, and his promise that he prepares a room for us in his Father’s house.
(Msgr. John Enzler serves as the mission advocate of Catholic Charities of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and is a chaplain at his alma mater, St. John’s College High School in Washington. He writes the Faith in Action column for the archdiocese’s Catholic Standard and Spanish-language El Pregonero newspapers and websites.)
