See You In Heaven!

All Souls Day
02 November 2008


Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia.

First reading Isaiah 25:6 - 9
On this mountain,
the Lord of Hosts will prepare for all peoples
a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines,
of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.
On this mountain he will remove
the mourning veil covering all peoples,
and the shroud enwrapping all nations,
he will destroy Death for ever.
The Lord will wipe away
the tears from every cheek;
he will take away his people’s shame
everywhere on earth,
for the Lord has said so.
That day, it will be said: See, this is our God
in whom we hoped for salvation;
the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 26

Second reading Romans 5:5 - 11
This hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

Gospel Matthew 11:25 - 30
At that time Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’


Reflections
By Grace Madrinan

"See you in heaven!"

This is what a priest told me capping our confession. I was alarmed the first time I heard it. 'What does he mean? I don't want to die soon!' At least, not yet.

I used to be not open about discussing death. For me, it sounded 'sad', like a 'dead' end. But reading through the scriptures, like the one we have today, I began to have an understanding of what death is. Death is a 'reconciliation' to the Father who created us.

A bishop best explained this to us one time while we were attending a wake. Do you notice how we Filipinos greet each other on the way? Aside from 'Musta’? (how are you?), usually what follows is a 'San ka galing? (Where did you come from) or 'San ka pupunta?' (Where are you going?')

Thinking about it deeper, he said that these questions are more than a greeting. It meant more than starting a conversation. It is a good reminder of where we came from and where we should be going. Relating it to death, response to both of these questions would be:

"Saan ka galing?" -- Sa Ama. (Where did you come from? -- From the Father)
"Saan ka pupunta?" -- Sa Ama. (Where are you going? -- To the Father)

If death meant going back to the Father who created you, what it is to fear? Since we came from the Father, it is only right to aim going back to the Father. If we have lived a full life, to the best of our efforts, in what is pleasing to God, then we can partake in the room He has prepared for us in Heaven.








Father, Your Son, Jesus Christ has already purchased for us the reward to eternal life through His death and resurrection. Instead of fear and anxiety, may we find joy and comfort in knowing that we will come home to the Place You have prepared for us. Amen.