All Saints and All Souls: Remembering Our Family in Faith

Every year the Church recalls the example, witness, and prayer of the holy women and men who have been identified by the Church as Saints. These saints are more than just role models; they are family members with whom we continue to share relation, in a bond of prayer, called the Communion of Saints.

Every year when we celebrate this day, the Gospel we proclaim recalls for us Jesus’ teaching about happiness, the Beatitudes. We quickly note in this reading that none of those Jesus names as “blessed” or “happy” are expected . . . the poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted. Jesus’ blueprint for happiness reflects little of what the world might call happiness.

What does Jesus mean when he uses the word “blessed?” This word is sometimes translated as “happy” or “fortunate” or “favored.” In other words, Jesus is saying that divine favor is upon those who are poor, who mourn, who are persecuted. This might have been welcome and surprising news to the crowds who heard Jesus that day.

The Beatitudes can be understood as a framework for Christian living. Because of this, it is natural that we proclaim this Gospel on the Feast of All Saints. Saints are people who lived the spirit of the Beatitudes as Jesus lived. On this day, we too are challenged to model our lives on the spirit and promises of the Beatitudes.

Read this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12a): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110126.cfm

All Souls Day is Monday, November 2nd

History

Origin: The practice of setting aside a specific day to remember the dead grew out of early monastic traditions. [1] [2]

St. Odilo of Cluny: In the 10th century (around 998 AD), St. Odilo, the abbot of Cluny in France, made the November 2nd commemoration official for his monasteries, and the practice quickly spread across Western Christendom. [3] [4]

Three Masses: During World War I in 1915, Pope Benedict XV granted priests the privilege of celebrating up to three separate Masses on All Souls’ Day for different intentions. [5]