All Souls (November 2, 2025)
Today we celebrate the Feast of All Souls. In today’s Gospel, we experience Jesus telling us that if we believe in Him, we will have eternal life and be raised up on the last day.
Our soul is spiritual, indivisible, immortal. It understands, it wills freely. It is capable of judging, of knowing, of reasoning, and of having virtue. In all this it resembles God. It resides whole in the whole body, and whole in each of the body’s parts, even as the divine it is whole in the world. Man knows himself and loves himself and loves himself by acts produced and expressed by his intellect and will. These acts proceed from the intellect and the will. They are distinct from one another, yet they remain inseparably united to the soul and God has placed you in this world not because God needs you in any way. You are altogether useless to God. (IDL 1:10,54) God made you to give you grace and glory. Marvel at God’s goodness. (IDL1:11,57). Thank God who has made you for so exalted an end. ((IDL 1:10, 56).
…you are a child of the Church. From your childhood God has taught you to know him. How often has he given his sacraments to you! How often have you received his inspirations, interior lights, and admonitions for your amendment! How often has he forgiven your faults! How often has he delivered you from those occasions of damnation to which you have been exposed! Were not all those past years a time of leisure and opportunity to improve your soul’s good? By noting each thing, you perceive in some small way how gentle and gracious God has been to you. (IDL 1:11, 57, Ryan.
Arouse your heart to resolve to be no longer faithless, ungrateful and disloyal to this great benefactor. And how “shall my soul be henceforth wholly subject to God” who has wrought so many wonders and graces in me and for me? (IDL 1:1,57)
Consider a calm, beautiful night and think how good it is to see the sky with its countless varied stars. Next add its beauty to that of a fine day in such a way that the brilliant sun does not prevent a clear view of the stars or moon. Then say boldly that all this beauty put together is of no value when compared to the excellence of God’s paradise. Oh, how lovely, how desirable is that place, how precious is that city! (IDL 1:16, 65)
Consider the nobility, beauty, and number of the citizens and inhabitants of that fortunate land-paradise—the millions upon millions of angels, those bands of apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and holy women. It is a countless throng. If the least among them is more beautiful to see than the entire world, what will it be to see all of them together! (IDL 1:16, 65).
Look upon Jesus Christ, and do not renounce him for all the world. and when the labors of a devout life seem hard to you, sing with St. Francis of Assisi “Such are the joys that lure my sight, All pains grow sweet, all labors light.” (IDL 5:18, 291).
Let us go forward, my dear soul, to that infinite repose, let us travel on to that blessed land that is promised to us. Put away everything that might lead you astray or delay you on the journey. (IDL 1:16, 66)