Our worship of God at the holy Mass is offered in times of joy and sorrow. Our joy at a wedding or baptism or at the welcoming of the catechumens into full communion at the Easter Vigil is expressed through our worship as we unite with one another in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” But our worship of God is offered amidst the sorrows of life as well. As we entrust the soul of a loved one to God, or pray for those who were called from this life after an illness or accident, we unite our sorrow to our worship and receive from the Lord in return an outpouring of His grace for ourselves and those for whom we pray.
As we lift up our voices in praise and worship of God, He in turn consoles us and reminds us that He is near to each of us as we make our journey through life. The Mass offered today for those children who did not reach the waters of baptism is a beautiful expression of trust and hope in the Lord as we entrust each of the little ones to the Lord’s infinite mercy and immeasurable compassion. It is a beautiful expression of praise and worship to lift up in prayer the souls of all those who have been called from this life that they may dwell in the presence of God for all eternity.
November is a time when we pray especially for the dead. All Souls Day, on November 2, is a day when the universal Church offers prayers for the souls in Purgatory and asks God to receive these souls into the eternal dwellings of heaven. There is often a sadness in recalling the passing of loved ones or little ones, but there must also be that expression of trust in God’s Divine Mercy, since He desires “everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). A special evening Mass will be offered on that day for these souls and also that God will continue to provide an abundance of grace to each of us as we continue our journey through the joys and sorrows of life.
May our hearts be united with the Psalmist who today proclaims, “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all you lands. Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds” (Psalm 96).
Stay healthy & safe. God Bless,
Anna Romano