THE CHURCH SUFFERING

This is the time of the year when we Catholics remember in a special way our departed brothers and sisters most especially our loved ones. We have this belief in the presence of the Church Suffering which consists of souls who are yet to enter the Kingdom of God. We, the living belong to the Church Militant and are called to atonement in behalf of our brothers and sisters who have gone to rest with the hope of rising again. We are all called to participate in this because we are all part of the Body of Christ the Church. Whatever good we can do to the least of our brothers and sisters whether physically or spiritually we can offer as a sacrifice especially today as we celebrate the Solemnity of All Souls. Amen. Hallelujah!


2 Maccabees 12:43-46
...if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. 45 But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. 46 Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.

When we are in a state wherein we feel so deprived and famished, a helping hand can go a long way. We may not totally understand the concept of purgatory as a whole but this is what we are supposed to be to our brothers and sisters who long to see God face to face but is yet to happen. When we, the Church Militant active and living can serve for them as a beaming light in the darkness and a guide to the right path. Amen. Hallelujah!


Psalm 42:2, 3, 5; 43:3, 4, 5
R: My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
...Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place.

We have this hope as presented to us in today’s 2nd reading. We are able to rise from our being dead in our sins because Jesus Christ conquered sin through His death on the big cross. Just like Jesus we too have to accept freely whatever little crosses that come our way in our daily life to the point of even dying to ourselves so that we can be raised up. Amen. Hallelujah!


Romans 6:3-4, 8-9
3 Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. 8 If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.

When we are totally surrendered to the will of God nothing or no one should drive us to fear not even death itself. This is because we are confident of the saving power of God. He will never lead us to where His love can not reach us. We can always be assured of the loving arms of our Savior. Amen. Hallelujah!


John 11:21-27
...Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”...