“Purgatory is a purification process. It is an important duty of ours to pray for the dead because although they may have died in grace and in friendship with God, they may still be in need of a last purification in order to enter into the joy of heaven.”
— Pope John Paul II
On this special day, we remember our departed brothers and sisters. Though they have passed from this world, our duty continues — to remember them in our prayers, to offer Masses for them, and to obtain plenary indulgences for their souls. We believe that through our prayers and sacrifices, we can help them reach heaven and share in eternal happiness with the Father.
While we pray for the eternal peace of our departed loved ones, we should also reflect on our own lives. Will there be someone to pray for me when I die? This question reminds us not to lose our connection with the people around us. We are called to live not according to our own will, but according to the will of the Father.
Just as Jesus said in today’s Gospel, He came down from heaven to do the will of the Father. In the same way, we too must seek our purpose in life — to know God’s will for us and to live it out. When we live each day according to the Father’s will, we are walking the path that leads to salvation and eternal union with Him.
When we fulfill the Father’s will by building meaningful relationships, someone will surely remember and pray for us when our time comes. When we make it our mission to pray for the departed, we can be certain that someone from the Church Triumphant — the saints in heaven — is also praying for our salvation. And when we live each day helping the poor, sacrificing worldly desires, and proclaiming the Gospel in both word and deed, heaven itself opens wide for us who strive to enter through the narrow gate.
As the Book of Wisdom says: “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.”
This reading invites us to reflect: Are we just enough to be in the hands of God? When we pass away, will we be free from torment? Our actions today will determine that answer.
The Gospel also reminds us to believe in Jesus Christ — for whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life. Let us, then, look to Christ’s life as our model — a life of mission, humility, and sacrifice.
Let us pray for all our departed brothers and sisters, especially those who have no one to pray for them. Let us also pray for ourselves — that as we journey through life, we may always strive to do the will of the Father. And when our time comes, may we be confident to say:
“I believed in Jesus Christ.
I learned from Him.
And I lived each day according to the Father’s will.”
