All Souls Day: Mercy for the Dead

Tribulation Times

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/october.asp?version=63&startmmdd=0101

November 2, 2009  

(II Maccabees 12:43-46) And making a gathering, he [Judas] sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.

LINKS

Purgatory Project
Litany for the Souls in Purgatory
Indulgences for the Poor Souls

PIA: Mercy for the Dead: Remembering the Dead on All Souls Day

One great act of mercy that we should perform is to pray for the dead. The Church observes All Souls Day today as the living remember their dearly departed.

The Lord asks us, the living, to continuously offer prayers, masses and sacrifices, drawing from the treasury of the Church, for departed souls. "Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice," Jesus told St Faustina. In fact, the Lord encouraged St Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, remember the souls in purgatory. He told her: "Enter into purgatory often, because (souls) need you there (from the Diary of St Faustina, entry 1738).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven."

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We, the living, can assist the dead by imploring God's infinite mercy for them. Not just during this day, but always - as we receive the holy sacraments, pray, perform sacrifices - we must be in communion with the suffering souls.

St Faustina once saw in a vision the souls in purgatory, and she saw their great need for our assistance. She wrote in her diary (entry 20):

"I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. I saw Our Lady visiting the souls in purgatory. The souls call her 'The Star of the Sea.' She brings them refreshment. I wanted to talk to talk with them some more, but my Guardian Angel beckoned me to leave. We went out of that prison of suffering. (I heard an interior voice) which said, 'My mercy does not want this, but Justice demands it.' Since that time, I am in closer communion with the suffering souls."

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FROM THE MAILBAG 
REFLECTION by Father Ted – October 27, 2009: My dearest Lord Jesus, on this day, 79 years ago, my brother was born. He was the 2nd child born to our mother. I am the 3rd.

We are not only her beloved children and the beloved children of our father. We are Your beloved children.

As You have so frequently reminded me we are all Your beloved children whom You created through our human parents to experience Your eternal love.

Both of my siblings have died. Both, I believe, have received Your Merciful judgment.

I am the only one who is still struggling to live on earth – awaiting also Your Merciful judgment.

I still have to seek to do Your Will.

I still have to deal with my weaknesses. I still have to resist temptations. I still have to experience the seductions of the devil – even daily.

Although he is cunning, although he is brighter than me, with Your Merciful help, I can resist his strategies and resist giving into his evil enticements.

I can succeed only if I take advantage of all the graces that You offer to me – which are available through my daily prayers, through my various acts of self-denial, through my reception frequently of the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and of Penance.

I have learned – sometimes the hard way, that the evil one strives to persuade me, as he does to others, not to pray as often as You prompt me to do. I know that he strives to urge me not to celebrate Holy Mass as often as I do. I know that he does not want me to visit You and to adore You in the Blessed Sacrament as frequently as I do. I know that he does not want me to confess my sins as often as You want me to do.

When I listen to him, and do not take advantage of the helps that You offer to me, I lack the spiritual strength that I need in order to resist his temptations.

I sin, because I have not accepted the graces that You provide me with; because I lack the spiritual strength that You provide me through prayer, sacrifices, the Holy Eucharist and Penance.

Lord, may I do all that You ask of me – so that I will not only resist the temptations of the devil, but above all, so that I will become the holy man, the holy priest that You desire me to be; so that I will be able to assist my other brothers and sisters in being able to resist the devil’s temptations and becoming the saints that You want them to be as well.

Jesus, send us Your Spirit. Enkindle in us the fire of Your Divine Love.

May we come to know You, to love You, to serve You each day so that we may be with You and my family in Your heavenly home.

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 23- "On mad pride and unclean, blasphemous thought"

31. A proud monk has no need of a devil; he has become a devil and enemy to himself.   

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