Saint Charles Borromeo was born on October 2, 1538 at the castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore near Milan. His father was the Count of Arona and his mother a member of the House of Medici. He was the third of six children born to the couple.
At the age of 12, the young Count Charles Borromeo dedicated himself to a life of service to the Church. His uncle gave to him the family income from the Benedictine abbey of Saints Gratinian and Felinus. Even as a youth, his integrity was obvious. He was …
Most faithful St. Dymphna, you remained true to your baptismal promises to the very end. You are, therefore, honored, known, and loved after 1,400 years by people you have aided all over the world. We do not know how long or short a time is left to us of this life here, but help us in any case to be faithful to God to the end. Please gain for us the grace to live one day at a time as if each were to be our last. Amen.
Imagine with me for a second the scenario of a group of friends playing soccer on the top of a cliff. The cliff rises high above the treacherous waters below and one slip would cause a fall and certain death. Now, they are free to play the game, but they have the constant fear of falling over the edge. Take this same scenario and add a net around the edges of the cliff. They still have the freedom to play, but one could make the claim that they are even more free because now they do not have the fear of death.
This is an analogy for why we have laws, either natural or divine. God gives us laws to protect us and to help us to live how we ought. Government should make laws to protect all of those in society. So in today’s First Reading it seems as if Paul is making the claim that laws are not necessary as long as you love. How could this be possible?
The answer is that Paul is in one sense saying the laws are not needed if you love, because you know how you are to live. But in another sense he sees the necessity of the law because more often than not, we forget to love. This is in line with the tradition of the Church and even St. Augustine who is famous for saying, “love and do what you want.”
Notice the importance of explanation here. Paul and Augustine are clearly not saying we can just be good people and the moral law doesn’t matter. When we are truly loving and living rightly we are already in accord with the law, but instead of being edicts that are pushed on us from without, they well up from within. If we are truly loving we know instinctively not to murder, not to lie, not to gossip etc. These are things that a human being who lives in love would not do.
This is essentially what it means when we are told to form our conscience. Our conscience should be formed in such a way that what we believe conforms with the truth of how we were made. God’s laws make sense if we accept that he is in control and knows what is best for us. So let’s take a few moments today to focus on how loving it is for God to give us laws to help guide us, but also how the closer we get to God the more we live rightly. From all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God bless!
Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and a content specialist for Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body Ministry. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.
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St. Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru on December 9, 1579. Martin was the illegitimate son to a Spanish gentlemen and a freed slave from Panama, of African or possibly Native American descent. At a young age, Martin’s father abandoned him, his mother and his younger sister, leaving Martin to grow up in deep poverty. After spending just two years in primary school, Martin was placed with a barber/surgeon where he would learn to cut hair and the medical arts.
As Martin grew older, he …
To you Saint Martin de Porres we prayerfully lift up our hearts filled with serene confidence and devotion. Mindful of your unbounded and helpful charity to all levels of society and also of your meekness and humility of heart, we offer our petitions to you.
Pour out upon our families the precious gifts of your solicitous and generous intercession; show to the people of every race and every color the paths of unity and of justice; implore from our Father in heaven the coming of his kingdom, …
The following are a selection of the readings that may be chosen for this day.
The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
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.
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.”
– – –
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
“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.” (John 6:39)
All Souls Day will forever carry a special place in my heart, as I delivered my first child into the world on November 2, 2014. My son, Alexander Lloyd, had died in my womb before he ever had a chance to be born into earthly life. To this day, I’ve struggled with trying to understand God’s way. Why give us a son, just to take him away? God can take the hardest of concepts and through it makes all things good.
In today’s Second Reading, “If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.”
Alexander Lloyd reminds me of one of the many joys I can pray to encounter in striving for life after death. He is my personal reminder that love transcends death. As Catholics, it is our duty to offer prayers for the deceased as frequently as possible. Not just on All Souls Day, but every day, as much as possible.
As noted in today’s First Reading, “The souls of the just are in the hand of God” and “Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect.”
Today, I offer praise to God for the time he has given me with my unborn Alexander. I will recognize that all things work together for good in the eyes of God. I pray for those who have passed on before me, my family members as well as strangers I’ve never known but who maybe the world has forgotten.
How can your love continue to flourish for those who have passed on before you?
Who of the faithful departed will you take the time to pray for today?
Dr. Alexis Dallara-Marsh is a board-certified neurologist who practices in Bergen County, NJ. She is a wife to her best friend, Akeem, and a mother of two little ones on Earth and two others in heaven above.
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Bishop and martyr. Originally a Greek, he became bishop of Pettau, in Pannonia (later Styria, Austria). He was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305). Victorinus was also the author of several biblical cornrnentaries, although he may have been an adherent of Millenarianism, a heresy of that time.
Immortal God, holy Lord,
Father and Protector of all You have created,
we raise our hearts to You today for those
who have passed out of this mortal life.
In Your loving mercy, Father of all,
be pleased to receive them in Your heavenly company,
and forgive the failings and faults
they may have done from human frailty.
Your only Son, Christ, our Saviour,
suffered so cruelly that
He might deliver them from the second death.
By his merits may they share in the glory …
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.” Mt:28
Happy Solemnity of All Saints! In my opinion, this is one of the most complicated celebrations that we as a church celebrate. I say this because we celebrate and remember our loved ones and the unknown saints who have gone before us that are worshiping and praising our beautiful God in heaven. They are experiencing and participating in the full force of looking upon God’s face and praising him. They are participating in the heavenly song, “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb… Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” -Rev 7.
Yet… we are left here, longing to see our loved ones and God’s face. We are left here to deal with the burdens of daily life. This celebration takes on a sad note when you have lost someone you love. Though we believe we have access to God and all of heaven even on this side of death through our identity as God’s children who are not abandoned, however we can still feel the sting of loss and sorrow. This solemnity reminds us that we are still blessed even when we are mourning the loss of our loved ones because heaven is still open to us and there is still hope. We still have the freedom of salvation from death even though we might still feel a sense of loss.
The pain of loss is sharp in my life and I speak from experience about the odd paradox of being blessed even while I mourn. I can feel the joy of connecting with the holy ones while I praise my God. I know that I am joining the heavenly songs and joining in one voice with all the saints and angels as tears of joy and sadness stream down my face as we cry out, ‘You are worthy of it all!’ This celebration of All Saints is a word of hope that the power of Jesus has not been overcome by our daily struggles and losses. We know this as we look at the powerful testimony of even the unknown saints and the holy innocents. Their testimony is that God’s love has invaded even the secret places, even the quiet little one who could not merit anything for themselves.
We are celebrating today the reality of the power of the resurrection that has conquered death. Jesus’ promise that he will give us rest from our labor and burdens is not just fulfilled when we die but from death and its effects in our lives. In other words, death does not have to scare us nor does the pain of loss need to be permanent. We can still connect with our loved ones on this side of death when we enter God’s presence and will rejoin them at the end of our lives. My hope for all of us, is that we are encouraged to press on in faith that God is good and worthy of all praise even through the trials by the witness of all the saints. May Jesus bless you.
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We welcome new author, Arthur Richardson!