The Solemnity of All Souls, Saturday, November 2, 2024

Luke 7, 11–17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

The Lectionary provides several options for the Gospel Reading for today’s Mass.  I have chosen this one.

The custom of offering Masses for all the souls in purgatory existed through the early Christian world.  In the 900’s, the monastery at Cluny in France began to offer this Mass on the day after All Saints Day, and this influenced other Catholic regions to do the same.  The Church teaches that the souls of those whose love of God was not yet made perfect at the time of their deaths enter a place of purification where it will be.  This place — purgatory — has often been depicted in art as fiery.  The flames in such depictions signify the perfecting and cleansing necessary for the soul to be capable of looking upon God.  People on earth can assist these souls through having Masses offered for them, through prayers, and through good works offered for this purpose.  Likewise, the souls in purgatory are able to assist us as well through their prayers.

“As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out.”  Since the Jews buried their dead before the sunset of the day they died, the man’s death had occurred only hours before.  His body was wrapped in linen cloths and carried on a bier.  It would have been taken out to the town cemetery for burial.  A large crowd accompanied the sad procession.  The death of the young man devastated his mother.  First of all, he was her child, and her only child.  Second, since she was a widow, she had depended on him for support.  Very likely she would be reduced to begging for a living.  We can see in this scene our own grief at losing our loved ones.  

“When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her.”  The Son of God was so moved with pity at our miserable state that he came down from heaven to save us.  He shows how his heart breaks for us through his feelings for this widow.  “Do not weep.”  With these words the Lord announces that he will help her son.  We note that she did not ask him for help.  If the Lord raises her son without her asking, how much more we can be sure that he will deliver our loved ones from purgatory when we ask!

“He stepped forward and touched the coffin.”  The Greek word should be translated as “bier” rather than “coffin” since the Jews at that time did not use coffins.  Here we have Life touching death and overcoming it easily.  Those carrying the bier stop because the Lord does the unthinkable in touching it, thereby incurring ritual impurity.  Their shock signifies the shock of death at its defeat: “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15, 54).  This victory is fully realized when the souls in purgatory are fully cleansed and rise into heaven.

“Young man, I tell you, arise!”  The irresistible command of the Lord compels even the dead to live again.  The souls will hear these words  directed to them at the moment their purification is complete.  “The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”  As they enter heaven and behold the face of Jesus, the souls burst forth into praise and thanksgiving.

“Fear seized them all, and they glorified God.”  We marvel at the destiny prepared by Almighty God for the just: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,  neither has it entered into the heart of man what things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2, 9).

We pray for the dead every day, but especially this day, and so assist them.  May their prayers also assist us as we live out our days.