The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Today the Church observes the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed  (All Souls). The assigned readings are Wisdom 3:1-9, Romans 5:5-11, and John 6:37-40. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 23 (Psalm 23:1-6).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said to the crowds: "Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day."

As we observe this day, we entrust to the Lord's mercy each of our deceased family members, friends, neighbors, and associates, as well as each of soul around the world who has passed away – especially those who most need our prayers.

Reflections on this day:

Crossroads Initiative: All Souls, Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead

Community in Mission: 99 and a Half Won't Do - A Homily for the Feast of All Souls (2 NOV 14) 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You work through the relics of saints to touch our lives.

On the Power of Relics to Bring Us Closer to God

"Through relics of the saints, we have a tangible connection to our brothers and sisters in heaven.
Venerating them dates back to the beginning of Christianity and is confirmed in Scripture.

"The bones of Elisha raised a dead man to life in 2 Kings 13:21, and in Acts 19:12, people were healed through handkerchiefs and cloths that had been touched to St. Paul. Catholics understand that all power comes through God, but we believe he can work through the saints, our 'models and intercessors' (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828).

"Pastors at shrines with the two largest collections of relics in the United States and another just building up a collection spoke with the Register about the power of relics to bring us closer to God."

A recent National Catholic Register article explored some of the history and benefits of veneration of relics.

To access the complete National Catholic Register report, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Surrounded by Saints: Trio of Shrines Allow Visitors to Venerate Relics (1 NOV 19)

Reflection Starter from e. e. cummings

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. - e. e. cummings

Crow Prints by Carol MacDonald of Colchester, VT

One of the treasures of New England is the variety of art that is created by the artists of the region. An example of such artwork is the crow-related printwork created by Carol MacDonald of Colchester, Vermont.

For more information about Sybille Leary and her art, please visit:

Saint Albans Messenger: Art with wings: Colchester artist finds inspiration in crows (7 OCT 19)

Background information:

 Carol MacDonald's website

Military Family Appreciation Month

The month of November is being observed as Military Family Appreciation Month, an observance designed to honor and recognize families of members of the U.S. Armed Forces for their sacrifices, commitment, and contributions in support of our military and nation.

Related information:

Military.com: 4 Ways to Recognize Military Family Appreciation Month

Learning Liftoff: How to Celebrate Military Family Appreciation Month

Howard Gospel Choir: "When the Saints Go Marching In"

As we continue our holy day celebration, I offer this version of the Howard Gospel Choir (of Howard University) presenting "When the Saints Go Marching In":

Solemnity of All Saints

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints. The assigned readings are Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; and Matthew 5:1-12. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 24 (Psalm 24:1-6).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 24 "Lord this is the people that longs to see Your face"

The Gospel reading is as follows:

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
   for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
   for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
   for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
   for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
   for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
   for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
   for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."

Reflections on these readings:

Community in Mission: Ninety-Nine and a Half Won't Do - A Homily for the Feast of All Saints (31 OCT 19)

The Deacon's Bench: Practicing Catholics: Homily for the Solemnity of All Saints, November 1, 2019 (31 OCT 19)

Fr. Tommy Lane: The Communion of Saints and our glorious future - Homily for November 1st - Solemnity of All Saints

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for calling each of us to be a saint.

An Antidote to Modern-Day Cynicism

Cynicism abounds in our world, and it's not a surprise considering all the divisiveness we see around us. It's easy to get the impression that Americans are constantly at each other's throats and the world is "going to hell in a handbasket," as the old saying goes. But is it really?

Are the stories that make the most headlines in the news or social media really indicative of who we are as a people? It's a complex issue, but I believe there's a lot more good in the world -  and in our neighbors - than we might be aware of.

One of the reasons I believe this is because I work on The Christophers' annual Three Minutes a Day book of daily reflections. We just published Volume 54, and I see it as an antidote to modern-day cynicism, a reminder that the ideals of loving God and loving our neighbor are alive and well. Consider this story from the book.

Jamario Howard, JaMychol Baker, and Tae Knight were waiting for their order at Brad's Bar-B-Que in Oxford, Alabama, when Jamario noticed an elderly woman sitting by herself. He wondered if she might be lonely, so he went over, began chatting with her, and learned her name was Eleanor Baker.

Eleanor told Jamario a little about her life, including that she was a widow and tomorrow would have been her 60th wedding anniversary. The young man knew he couldn't leave this lady by herself, so he invited her to join him and his friends for dinner. She did, and they had a wonderful evening together. When Jamario posted a picture of them all on Facebook, the story went viral. Eleanor told CBS News that she considers the evening "a God thing. I think God sent me there."

Jamario added, "I used to say when I was younger, and I still say today, I want to change the world somehow. And I don't know how. I'm not rich. I'm not famous...But we can show the world it's alright to be kind. And then, before long, maybe the world will be a much better place."

As that story shows, God sends us opportunities to share His light with others. We just have to recognize those opportunities and take advantage of them. That's exactly what Vicki Heath did. Though she had met thousands of passengers during her years as a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, there was something special about Tracy Sharp, a 35-year-old woman with Down syndrome who was flying back home to Sacramento with her parents. After engaging the family in conversation, Vicki learned that Tracy's dream was to work as a flight attendant.

Vicki stayed in touch with the Sharps, and several weeks later called with the offer to have Tracy serve as her assistant on a flight from Sacramento to Seattle. Tracy was thrilled! Her parents joined her on the trip and relished watching their daughter interact with passengers and hand out food and drinks. As reported by Woman's World magazine, "At the end of the flight, all the passengers applauded their wonderful flight attendant, and Tracy boasted a 100-watt smile."

Vicki concluded, "I will never know why God chose me to befriend Tracy, but He did. I've learned it doesn't take much to make somebody happy . . . and it brings you amazing joy, too!"

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column, written by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.

Background information:

The Christophers

Reflection Starter from Mother Angelica

"Saints are ordinary people who do what they do for the love of Jesus, say what they must say without fear, love their neighbor even when they are cursed by him, and live without regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow." - Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA

As End of Daylight Saving Time Approaches, "Change Your Clock Change Your Battery" Reminder Issued

Daylight saving time will end on Sunday, 3 November. As families change their clocks, fire departments throughout this region (and the rest of the USA) are advising that it is a good time also for them to replace smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries and to make fire safety an ongoing priority.

Background information and resources:

International Association of Fire Chiefs

Energizer: Change Your Clock Change Your Battery®