I shall raise him on the last day

All Souls, Year C

Yesterday we commemorated all those who are already enjoying the glory of heaven, today we remember the faithful departed, those who are being prepared to become saints. Today’s Gospel does not refer to the purgatory, instead it focuses on us who are still living. It is a short reading; however, it is full of courage. This reading speaks to us who ever we are, what ever our decisions and choices, it tells us that God loves us and wants us to be saved. Jesus died to save us all. We are all weak, and evil has a certain attraction to us all: lying, gossiping, taking what is not ours, shirking our duties, turning a blind eye to the needs of others, and other sin. We have all given enough reasons to be ‘rejected’, however Jesus says, “I should not lose anything”. Notwithstanding the fact that we do a lot of good, it is certain, that like those who are in purgatory, we need a lot of purification. (For more information about purgatory visit here).

Most of us are common people, few people know us. We will not have our names written in history books, however God knows us by name (Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43,1); each and every one of us is so precious to God, that he knows us more than we know ourselves! (Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid. Luke 17, 7) If God has the time and patience to count each hair on our heads, how much more is he willing and ready to save every one of us.

Yesterday we commemorated all saints, those who are already sharing eternity with God. We mention and we know, only a small fraction of the saints, there are millions more, amongst them, even people we know. We pray to saints, so that they intercede for us. Today we remember all souls in purgatory, and for these, we are duty bound to intercede for them, we pray for them, and we offer sacrifices for them.

Jesus wants us all to be saved, “I should not lose anything of what he gave me.” However, we are to do our part too, we need to “see the Son” and “believe in him,” to gain eternal life. As parents, are we doing our outmost to grow in our relationship with Jesus, do we believe in him? Our way of living, and our choices, are these in line with being Christian? We also need to ask, are we doing our best so that we guide our children to eternal life in heaven?

A reading from the Gospel according to John (Jn 6: 37-40)

Jesus said to the crowds: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel story is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. During this month, we try to pray with our family for the souls in purgatory, not only for our dead relatives, but also for those who have no one to pray for them.
  4. If possible, we go with our family, to the cemetery and visit our dead relatives, and we put flowers and candles and pray for their souls. We also offer mass for them. We remember that in the Spiritual Acts of Mercy, we are asked to pray for the living and the dead.
  5. One day or another, we will all die, we do not know when. However, we must prepare ourselves for that day, when God raises us from the dead. This will come to be if we did our outmost to try and live, according to God’s will. Read Matthew 25, 35-36, and check if as individuals, and as a family you are living as this passage prescribes.
  6. Together with your family find the right time to read this Gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare;
    i. The Bible reading from St John (6, 37-40)
    ii. A cross
    iii. Cover the table with a purple cloth
    v. A computer/laptop with the readings and clips
  7. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested).
  8. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  9. Be creative 😊 

November starts with two feasts. Yesterday we remembered all those who are in heaven with Jesus, we call these saints. Today we remember those who died, and who will in due time, also go to heaven. 

  • Jesus died on the cross because he loves us 
  • Jesus wants, that one day, we will be with him in heaven  
  • Photos/memorial cards of people who died 
  • Printout of the activity, after it is ready 
  • Colours 
  • Scissors 
  • String 
  • Paper punch  

Today, the Church asks us to remember those who loved Jesus, and who tried to live the way that he wished but are now dead. Since one time or another we all do some bad choices, when we die, we will not be like Jesus in everything. For this reason, before we go to heaven, we go to purgatory, where we become like Jesus. We do not know how this will happen. However, we know for sure, that our next step, will be heaven. Those who are in purgatory cannot do anything to become like Jesus. However, we can help them, by praying for them. 

In the Gospel, we heard how Jesus wants everyone to go to heaven. Jesus helps us to live a good life, however there are times when we do not listen to him. 

How does Jesus wish you to live? (pray, love others, help others, make good choices, be a good friend…) When we read stories from the Bible we will learn better how Jesus would like us to live. Jesus sends many people to love us, and these help us to make good choices, just like Jesus wants us to.  

During the month of November, let us try to become better children, by making good choices, because this is how we will become saints. We will also pray for those who died and are not yet in heaven. In today’s activity, we will pray to the saints, so that we become better children, and we will pray for those who are in purgatory. 

In the activity you have pictures of different saints. You do not have all the saints! It could be that your favourite saint is not included. See if you can find your favourite saint here. A blank page is included, for you to add the saints that you would like. When you have all the saints that you would like to pray for you, print them out and colour them.  

There is another blank page, and you will use this to pray for those who died and may be in purgatory. Even if the person whom we are praying for is now in heaven, it does not matter, because no prayer is for nothing. Do you have photos or memorial cards of these people? If you do you may stick them on the relevant printouts. If you do not have any, you can write down their names or draw them on the printouts. 

When all the printouts are ready, and you have cut them out individually, make 2 holes at the top part and pass the string from these holes, so that you may hang the garland of saints and souls. Together with your family, pray to the saints and for the souls in purgatory, each day.

Sign of the cross 

Say the prayer of the faithful departed.

Today, we remember those who are in purgatory. Today’s Gospel does not refer to the souls in purgatory, but on Jesus’ wish, that one day, everyone will be with him in heaven.

  • We are part of the Communion of Saints
  • Jesus wants that everyone is saved
  • We have a duty to pray and make sacrifices for those in purgatory
  • Photos/memorial cards of people who died
  • Access to the page
  • Printout of the activity, after it is ready
  • Colours
  • Scissors
  • String
  • Paper punch
PrintoutDownload

On the 2nd November, the Church wants us to remember the souls in purgatory. We believe that if we have lived a life which resembled intimately that of Jesus, we will go straight to heaven, or else, due to our weaknesses, we need to make up for them, to become perfect like Jesus, we go to purgatory, where we are cleansed from our imperfections and wrong doings. From purgatory, the next stop will be heaven. However, if someone lived a bad life, up to the very end, never had any repentance for his sins and he denied God up to the end, that person will go to hell.

Yesterday, 1st November, the Church remembered all saints. Can you name the saints that you know? There are many more, than these you have mentioned, all those who are in heaven, are saints.

The Church links these feasts to show the connection with the Communion of Saints. Have you ever heard this phrase? The Communion of Saints? We mention it, every time we recite the Creed.

The Communion of Saints includes those of us who are still living, those who are in purgatory, and those in heaven. We are all part of one family.

Why do we go to purgatory, if we go to confession? There will always be some weakness that we have, there will be some sin, which we did not repent from. Imagine an apple, a pear or an orange. What happens if you stick a pin in it? When you remove the pin, the hole will still show, even if slightly. This is the effect of sin, when our repentance is not perfect, we will continue to be tainted, and we will be purified in purgatory (that hole will no longer be there).

Do you know that we can help the souls in purgatory to be purified, and thus able to go to heaven? When we pray for them, when we offer mass for them, or else offer sacrifices for them, we will be helping them to become perfect like Jesus.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” How can we go to Jesus? (prayer, receive Eucharist regularly, get to know Jesus better, live the way that he wishes)

For the activity of this week, see the activity for the 4- to 7-year-olds. Since you are older, apart from making the saints and souls garland, spend November by learning more about the saints that you have included in the garland. You may find more information about them here.

Sign of the cross. 

Say the prayer for the souls in purgatory three times.

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.