From Our Pastor: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend our readings tell us to love the Lord our God, alone, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words were ones every good Israelite would recite regularly. These are words close to a faithful Jewish follower’s heart. When we look at the Church year coming to an end very soon, we must remember that God desires our whole heart, and not to be loved among many things, but to be loved above all things.

Today is Halloween, so we must remind ourselves in the midst of what the creepy and the scary people love about Halloween, that we do not allow ourselves to get wrapped up in worship of these things, but worship God alone. The spooky and the creepy of Halloween was to mock evil; that it is nothing to be afraid of because God has conquered. All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is the night before All Hallows Day (All Saints Day), where we celebrate the sacred and the holy lives of those who followed the Lord well. These Saints go before us as a model and example. They are our foundaion and intercessors. Turn to them and read their stories to be inspired to follow them to Christ.

Today, find at least two saints’ names you’ve never heard and read their stories. Then, on All Souls Day, we pray for all our loved ones that have gone before us. They need our prayers. Don’t forget them, as we don’t want to be forgotten in prayer either. Pray for the poor souls in purgatory. They are headed to heaven but need our prayers. Have Masses said for your loved ones. Don’t cease praying for them and asking them to pray for you. In this we don’t participate in necromancy, communicating with the dead; in fact, we need to stay far away from Ouija boards, seances, psychics, mediums, palm readers, etc. etc. etc. Do not fall prey to these things that put your soul in grave peril. If you have ever participated in these things and never confessed them, then get to conffession and get that off your soul. Those things are very dangerous.

But on All Souls Day we pray for the dead, and we ask them to pray for us. Prayer is always through God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which is always good and a source of grace. In the hymn “For All the Saints,” there is the verse:

“O blest communion, family divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; Yet all are one within your great design. Alleluia! Alleluia!”

Remember that we are in communion with the Lord, most especially through our baptism and the Eucharist, but also with one another here on earth, the souls in purgatory, and those in Heaven. Although we feebly struggle, they in glory shine. We are united, turn to them, and let us all pray together in communion to the praise and glory of God, who unites us in His great design. Do you sing Alleluia, Alleluia in your life for these awesome gifts of our faith?

-Rev. Steven Arisman