31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Commemoration of All Souls)
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
MP3 – Audio Homily
The season of autumn is about at its peak. This is my favorite season. I have loved it since I was a boy. Cross Country season was always in the fall. We would have many runs through the woods, which were lit up with color. I can still remember the crunch of the leaves under my feet. The cold crisp air. For me it was perfect. Others do not like autumn because it reminds them too much that winter is near. They prefer the spring with its new life. Buds on the trees. Colorful flowers popping up all around. Still others prefer the summer. They can’t wait until we have those sunny days and warm nights. For them this season is best because it is a time for family get-togethers and barbeques. It is also a time to relax and go on vacation. They cannot think of anything better than summer weekends at the Jersey Shore. And, finally there are those brave souls who are in love with winter. While some dread the snow, others rejoice as they see the white stuff begin to fall. These people enjoy being out in the cold skiing or ice skating. Or, just sitting at the window watching it snow with a cup of hot chocolate. Truly, there are as many different views as there are people.
We must not divorce God from any aspect of our existence. For he is the Omniscient One who has ordered all things to reveal his goodness. The Seasons of the year are a reflection of the “seasons” of our life. There is within each person’s life the springtimes. The birth of a child is always a time for rejoicing. It shows us God’s creativeness and blessing upon the human race. As we grow into adulthood these are often times of new beginnings and hope for the future. The summer of our life is seen in those times when we have reached our peak and share so much in God’s creative power. Yes, there are also in this season the sweltering days, which may try us.
The Rhythm of Life
The autumn of our lives offers much beauty as our gray hairs are a sign of wisdom. Unfortunately, too often we see this time as negative. We may fixate on the fact that death is closer. In this way, we as Pope Francis says, attempt to “dominate the rhythm of life.” To control the seasons of our life. We fear death and/or the sufferings that necessarily must come in every person’s life. We try to stop the autumn from coming! We allow the winters of life paralyze us.
Is not God present in everything? Yes, deaths will come, but for those who are Christian there is always a Resurrection. In the darkest winter, when our loved one has passed we are not without hope. The first reading tells us that “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them…they are in peace…chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed.” Our loved ones who have passed away with belief in Christ are “in the hands of God”. They may have to go through purification, so that they may be made pure as “gold in the furnace”, but they are on their way to heaven. The winters of our life, like Christ’s passion, are times that enable us to become more like God, able to live with Him forever.
The Eternal Springtime
As Christ says in the Gospel, it is “…the will of the Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life…” Every season is ordered to our salvation. All we need to do is to learn to walk in the Holy Spirit. To see God in all things and walk with Him through it.
We must not live like people without hope. We are Christians! As followers of Christ, we know that all of us will go through the crucifixion and experience the resurrection. Therefore, we do not attempt to “dominate the rhythm of life”. The seasons of our life each have their joys and trials. For those who live in the Holy Spirit each of these moments have value and worth. Christians can have a sense of peace through each season since they know that it preparing them for a glorious resurrection. The spring awaits those who live in the Holy Spirit and trust Him. Here there will be no more winter. No more darkness or cold, but only the eternal springtime in the bliss of heaven.