Today’s celebration of Halloween (“All Hallows’ Eve”) ushers in a weekend of remembering and honoring those who have gone before us as we observe All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2. These special days offer us an opportunity to honor those recognized as Saints/saints, giving thanks for the presence and witness of their lives in our own, and remembering with gratitude those we have known and loved who have died and gone to God before us.

As you spend time this weekend in gratitude and remembrance, here are two prayer/reflections from Sr. Joyce Rupp.

Who Are the Saints?

“…I think of ‘saints’ as not only those women and men who have been canonized by the church, but all people whose lives reflect the goodness of God. Saints are not perfect people. They have their faults, idiosyncrasies, and weaknesses. They have their own struggles and difficulties. Even the canonized ones are noted to have been difficult to live with because of some of their unique mannerisms. Yet, the saints are people of integrity. They have a central focus at the core of their lives: the love of God. They consistently choose to act out of that central reality, no matter how ordinary or extraordinary their lives may be.”     (Taken from Out of the Ordinary © 2000, 2010 by Joyce Rupp. Used by permission of Ave Maria Press. All rights reserved.)

All Souls Day

“We turn to you, Comforter and Sustainer of Hope. We remember the presence of those we knew. Once more we entrust them to your abiding love, praying for their peace and ours, too. We gather strength from kinship with those whose hearts also ache with the absence of their loved ones. Grant us freedom from our grief. With your grace we will surrender as best we can to the mystery of death and what lies beyond it. In you we place our trust. Amen.”     (Taken from Prayer Seeds: A Gathering of Blessings, Reflections and Poems for Spiritual Growth. ©2017 by Joyce Rupp. Used by permission of Ave Maria Press®, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Join the discussion in the comments:

1. Where are your reflections and prayers taking you these All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days?
2. Who are you remembering with gratitude?