All Souls’ Day offers a powerful invitation to pause and reflect, not only on those we’ve loved and lost but also on our views of death itself. In addition, when All Souls’ Day falls on a Sunday, like it does this year, we get to make these considerations together as a Church family.
I’m not a theologian, and I don’t pretend to have a deep understanding of the mystery of eternal life, but I can say that in recent years, the way I see death has changed. In 2020, I lost my mom, and, just a year later, my dad. They were both incredible people, and what’s more, they handled their final chapters with grace and peace.
So many people fear death. We even talk about “bucket lists” and all the things we need to do before it’s our time. But I’ll never forget when Fr. Ron came to anoint my mom as she was nearing the end of her cancer journey, and he shared how deeply her peace moved him. He said he had never met anyone who made death such a gift to others, and that sentiment has stayed with me and is something I think about frequently.
In some of the common readings we hear at funerals (and on All Souls’ Day), we are reminded that “the souls of the just are in the hand of God…they are at peace” (Wisdom 3:1). St. Paul also writes that “if we die with Christ, we will also live with Him” (Romans 6:8). This promise doesn’t erase grief, but it gives it meaning. It assures us that death is not the end.
I’m not at the same point my parents reached in terms of peace, but I am grateful for their example. I am also grateful for my faith, which teaches me to look beyond the grave; I can’t imagine being without that reassurance.
We may never feel totally ready for death, but we can be hopeful. This All Souls’ Day, let’s remember those we’ve lost, be inspired by their witness, and let the promise of eternal life change the way we see death.
