Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth (last week's) Holy Redeemer bulletin:
The concept of All Saints Day is connected to the doctrine of the Communion of Saints. This is the concept that all of God's people, [in] heaven, earth, & in the state of purification (called Purgatory in the West), are spiritually connected & united. In other words, Catholic & Orthodox Christians (& some Protestants) believe that the saints of God are just as alive as you & I, & are constantly interceding on our behalf. Remember, our connection with the saints in heaven is one grounded in a tight-knit communion. The saints are not divine, no omnipresent [nor] omniscient. However, because of our common communion with & through Jesus Christ, our prayers are joined with the heavenly community of Christians. St. Cyril of Jerusalem (18 March) testifies to this belief.Quoth (this week's) Holy Redeemer bulletin:
All Saints Day, the day on wich Catholics celebrate all the saints, known & unknown, is a surprisingly old feast. It arose out of the Christian tradition of celebrating the martyrdom of saints on the anniversary of their martyrdom. When martyrdoms increased during the persecutions of the late Roman Empire, local dioceses instituted a common feast day in order to ensure that all martyrs, known & unknown, were properly honored.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
On this day we honor all the saints who are in heaven. This feast reminds us of our destiny: to have eternal life in heaven. On this day we remember that we believe in the communion of saints, that we are all united with one another in the Body of Christ, the Church. The example & intercession of the saints encourage, inspire, & strengthen us. Let us remember that we are surrounded by this great "cloud of witnesses" as we live our day to day lives.Scripture of This Sunday
Mass Readings
The Book of Revelation, chapter seven, verses two thru four, nine thru fourteen;
Psalm Twenty-four, verses one(b) thru four(b), five & six;
The First Letter of John, chapter three, verses one thru three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses one thru twelve(a).
Mass Journal: Week 45
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute
The truth is, I do things every day that are contrary to the ways of God, things that stop me from being (sic) the-best-version-of-myself, & so do you—every day. Then we carry all this baggage around with us & it affects us in ways that we are often not even aware of. Our sins affect us physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, & psychologically. They affect our relationships, our work, our health, our intellectual clarity, & our ability to genuinely embrace & experience all of life. Sin limits our future by chaining us to the past. Yet, most [persons] are able to convince themselves either that sin doesn't exist, that they don't sin, or that their sins are not affecting them. But if we take an honest inventory of our thoughts, words, & actions, it becomes abundantly clear that every one of us does things that are self-destructive, offensive to others, contrary to the natural laws of the universe, & in direct conflict with the ways of God. If we really think we can carry all this around inside us & that it is not affecting us, then we are only deceiving ourselves.
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