November 2, 2022 – All Soul’s Day

The month of November begins with two days of remembrance: All Saint’s Day traditionally celebrated on November 1, and All Soul’s Day traditionally celebrated on November 2. So what is the difference between these two days? All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day are related, but they are two separate celebrations. On All Saint’s Day we remember all the saints who lived before us, the saints who live now, and the saints yet to come. We remember those mentors of the faith who remind us how we’re supposed to live. We are reminded to remember those who have impacted our lives, especially our lives of faith – people who have modeled for us the life of the faithful Christian.

On All Soul’s Day we remember all people – all who have died whether of the faith or not asking G-d’s mercy for them. We remember those people who have died before us and pray for their collective and individual souls through the grace of Christ.

This year we will combine these two celebrations on Sunday November 6 when we lift up and remember those members of the Christian Church who have lived lives that modeled the Christian life but now rest in Christ, while we also pray for all our connected earthly family and pray for Christ to hold them in his grace. Of course the question we may ask is “why?” Why are these days important to the church?

All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2, reminds us that in life and even in death, we are connected to each other. All Soul’s Day brings an awareness to us Christians in 21^st century America an understanding that people from many cultures have expressed for thousands of years — that the dead are bound still to the living, and the living to the dead.

From deepest Antiquity, even before the appearance of the Scriptures, people everywhere intuited this connection and so developed many different rituals to remember their dead loved ones year after year. Time may dull our memories but their presence remains – so it is appropriate we take one day out of each year to bind ourselves to all our dead — and we do so most especially on All Souls’ Day.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, grant all souls your rest, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace through the mercy of God. Amen.

Pastor Dave