"Thy servants and handmaids..."

"All Souls" - R. León at CIEA

Today, we the Ecclesia Militans, the Church Militant, fulfill a role like no other. Today, we especially remember and celebrate the Ecclesia Penitens, The Church Suffering - the expectant. Today we, through our prayers, help plead the case of those joyful souls who have made it to Purgatory and await only the merciful release of their souls to heaven.

If you are lucky enough to ever attend a Mass according to the usus antiquior on All Souls day, you will be treated to a Mass that is full of death, suffering and above all else JOY. Death is not an end for those who walk in the way of the Lord. It is a beginning. 

Our role...

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I awoke this morning, much earlier than I normally do, and as I looked out at the cold, snow covered earth, I saw the sky starting to glow. It was clear, and so the mountains in the distance began to take shape as the sun rose. It honestly looked like the image above, but with mountains and not tombs. I thought instantly that it was my duty to do what I can today to remember the dead, and to help them finally reach Heaven. 

Secret (Second Mass, Missal of St. Andrew, © 1953):

Be favorable, O Lord, to our humble prayers on behalf of the souls of Thy servants and handmaids, for whom we offer up to Thee the sacrifice of praise: that Thou mayest vouchsafe to grant them fellowship with Thy saints. Though our Lord.

Isn't this what our faith is all about? Isn't it about the joy that comes from knowing we have a Savior? Isn't it the merciful promise to the many that if we follow Him, we will not die but have everlasting life? Isn't the hopeful expectation that we will be lead by angels into paradise?

Let us fulfill our role, let us pray for the dead. Let us live in expectation, hope, and joy that we will one day join the ranks of the Church Triumphant and be met by the holy martyrs at the holy city. 

Not the fearing death... but death without a Cross

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There is a lot of discussion about things like the Dies Irae. As more Catholics embrace a seemingly more orthodox and traditional Catholic faith, things such as the Extraordinary Form of the Funeral becomes a topic of discussion. It isn't strange to hear terms such as: "Life Celebration," "Resurrection Mass," or "Memorial Mass" used in place of "Funeral Mass" or "Burial Mass" as the Catholic funeral was previously referred to. 

 The theological problems with the names themselves completely distorts our understanding and view of death. Not to mention the fact that the implication that rests on these concepts, that we die and are instantly assumed into heaven, completely fly in the face of what the Church teaches us about The Four Last Things: 

Death.

Judgment.

Heaven.

Hell.

In Msgr. Pope's article, he makes a very scary but honest point: How do we explain Hell to a generation (culture, society, person, etc...) with a very limited and simplified notion of God? I don't know. Just because we don't believe something to be true, doesn't mean it isn't there. Hell exists, the Devil is real, and death is final. Being "good", is a rather ambiguous manner in which to live. Do we really want to roll the dice on what we think is good, hoping it gets us to heaven? 

Now I am not saying we should live in fear, in a way where that fear becomes our motivation. Instead, we should fear the loss of heaven through our actions and sin. Many people in the Catholic faith want to make God completely forgiving. Meaning, they make him out to be a God that forgives all, no matter what.  But then what does the devil do? Does the devil only collect those souls that are "pure evil?" What is pure evil? See how this becomes a problem? 

In the end, I am going to place my hope in God, a God that judges with justice and imposes mercy. If I believe God to be the merciful God of truth, he must be just. To be just he must judge. Judgment makes right the acceptance into heaven those that followed God's law, and loved faithfully. We will all fault, O happy fault. But again, if we live according to God's commandments, we will be forgiven. Being "good" isn't enough, because "good" is a rather ambiguous term. Justice is truth. Truth is love. Let us accept a God that loves. Let us receive mercy, only once justice has been imparted.

Finally, let us not forget to pray for those that have no one to pray for them. There are many departed souls that have no one entrusted with their petitions. There are many reasons for this, but the reasons matter not. Let us simply bring forward in our mind the intention to pray for them, even if we dont know their names... God does.

From the Dies Irae:

Lo! the book exactly worded,

Wherein all hath been recorded;

Thence shall judgment be awarded.

When the Judge His seat attaineth, 

And each hidden deed arraigneth,

Nothing unavenged remaineth.

What shall I, frail man be pleading

Who for me be interceding,

When the just are mercy needing?

King of majesty tremendous, 

Who dost free salvation send us,

Fount of pity, then befriend us!

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