Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary’s of the Lake:

❖ The month of November invites us to reflect on the special union or relation among our brothers & sisters now in heaven, the deceased in purgatory --awaiting entrance into Heaven, and all of us pilgrims on our earthly journey. This special union is called the ‘communion of saints.’  
 

⬥ On Nov 1^st, we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints. We honor all the Saints in Heaven, we are called to imitate their virtues & goodness, and we ask them to pray for us. Jesus did have a strong teaching: ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough’. (Lk 13:24). The First Reading for Mass on Nov 1^st, however, gives us a great sense of Hope, when we heard that with the Grace of God, there are many who dared to go through the narrow gate. They made up ‘a huge crowd which no one could count from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne & the Lamb, dressed in long white robes and holding palm branches… These are the ones who had survived the time of great distress.’ (Rev.7, 14). They are the Saints of God, who opened their lives to the Spirit; they tried their best to lead their lives in God's way, and they survived trials in life.  

 ⬥  On Nov 2^nd we commemorated All the Faithful Departed (‘All Souls Day’). This Commemoration was rooted in a very early Christian tradition. We honor them, pray for them & entrust them to the Love, Mercy & Forgiveness of our Eternal God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us: ‘All who die in God's grace and friendship, but are still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they [must] undergo purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.’ (#1030) The term ‘purgatory’ is used to refer to necessary ‘purging’ or purification before heaven. From the beginning, the Church has honored the memory of the dead & offered prayers for them --especially during the celebration of the Holy Mass.

⬥  As God’s pilgrim people on this earth, deep down in our hearts, we know that each one of us has only ‘one life to live.’ St. Paul assures us: ‘See what love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called children of God! Dearly beloved, we are God's children now.’ (cf. 1Jn 3:1-2). We are all called to lead our life in such a way worthy of being called ‘children of God.’ Indeed, as ‘children of God now’, we have a lofty goal, as Jesus teaches us: ‘Be perfected just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.’ (Matt 5:48). In other words, we are all called to be perfected, to be holy, to be saints.


Fr. Philip