31st Week in the Ordinary Time - Wednesday (Year II)
2nd November 2022 (Wednesday), All Souls Day Readings and Reflection
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we are on the Sunday of 31st week in the ordinary time. Today's gospel reflection is on the theme Awaiting heaven!
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For more certainty the Readings are posted from the Latest Catholic Lectionary{alertInfo}
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Wisdom 3:1-9c
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an evil thing, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial whole burnt offering he accepted them. In the time of their visitation they will shine forth and will run like sparks through the stubble. They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them for ever. Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones.
Psalm 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6
Response:The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. (R. 1)
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me;
he revives my soul.
He guides me along the right path,
for the sake of his name. Response
Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
no evil would fear, for you are with me.
Your crook and your staff will give me comfort. Response
You have prepared a table before me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing. Response
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord's own house shall I dwell
for length of days unending. Response
Second Reading: Romans 6:3-9
Brethren: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old selfa was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set freeb from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
Gospel : Matthew 25. 31-46
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,f you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Awaiting heaven!
Indicative: Earth is the launching ground, purgatory is the transit and heaven is the landing destination{alertSuccess}
1. Every November 02 we commemorate all souls. It teaches and indicates many truths of our Christian life. First of all, life does not end with death but continues in another form. The physical body is perishable and physical, earthly human existence is temporary. There is a spiritual body and existence that are imperishable and eternal.
2. Whether in or without body, we are bound together in fraternal and spiritual communion, and the cessation of physicality or earthliness does not disrupt or cancel this communion. Death is a moment, a door of passage, a transition from earth to heaven, from temporary to eternal life.
3. Heaven is our homeland proper and all are destined to reach back there. This human physical earthly existence is then a limited duration during which real preparation must be done to take us to heaven.
4. However, as humans we are, our fragilities do not fully leave us. Our imperfections accompany us to the grave. But nothing unholy or unclean can stand before God or be with Him who is the Holy of holies.
5. Therefore, purification, and purgation must continue and be complete. We believe that purgatory is that “purgative”, “transit” and “probative” period that cleanses us perfectly to “fit us to the heavenly mansions”. Where it will be, how long, and how, such questions are beyond our human comprehension and are irrelevant as well.
6. What is important to note is that our fraternal and spiritual bonding and obligation do not cease with death. We continue to belong to God and each other, whether alive or dead. Therefore, we continue to love the departed and be concerned for them.
7. We continue to pray for them, recommending them to God to purge them and receive them into heaven. The prayers, holy masses, and the good works we offer on behalf of the dead should not be seen as “compensations” or “installed payments” to appease and relent God’s wrath and punishment.
8. They are also not a “barter system” where heaven is given in exchange for what we offer on their behalf. Neither is it an “interested investment” where we buy a heaven ticket to the souls and send them to heaven so that they can be our benefactors later on.
9. Rather the whole reality of all souls must be seen from the optic of communion and solidarity in faith and fraternity. They are clear expressions of our solidarity with them and concern for their salvation. They are also our supplication to God’s mercy to make good for what might have lacked in their earthly life.
10. There is nothing wrong to believe that we help the souls in purgatory because by themselves they remain helpless to help themselves. While on earth, we are able to help them, and once relieved from purgatory and received into heaven, they will be able to help us.
11. Besides, this commemoration is an alarm bell for all of us that one day all must reach the same end of death. No one is permanent on earth. And death is not a permanent closure. Eternity awaits us.
12. But there is the last judgement that decides the face of our eternity, whether damnation or salvation. And this differentiation is solely on the basis of one’s life on earth. Life before death determines life after death. Only a life of charity rooted in faith can qualify us for heaven.
Imperative: A life rooted in spiritual and fraternal communion and which flourishes in charity will purge us and gain us eternal victory.{alertSuccess}
Video Reflection
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