Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day)
November 2, 2020
Daily Reading from the USCCB: John 6:37-40
Today the Church commemorates all the faithful departed. We recall all the faithful believers who have died in the Lord but who have not yet reached a level of holiness that allows their full participation in the kingdom of heaven.
Our Catholic faith teaches us that these persons are still in the process of purification and that the prayers of the faithful here on earth can help them in their pursuit of eternal happiness.
There are no less than 12 Gospel readings proposed by the Lectionary for this day. This suggests that there are many aspects of the Lord’s relationship with his faithful. But the common theme of all the Gospel readings is that the Lord loves his people and wants them with him forever.