Connection Despite Death
Throughout November, the Church prays in a special way for those who have died. When we pray for the dead, we pray that the deceased in purgatory are quickly purified and united with God in heaven. We can pray in this way for our deceased loved ones by name, and generally for all the faithful departed.
November is also a suitable time to visit a deceased loved one’s place of rest. This is a way to commemorate their role in your life, to give thanks for joys and pray for healing from hurts. Doing so brings solace in times of grief. When we long for their smile or their embrace, we can be reminded that there is hope for a heavenly reunion.
Additionally, this month is also a time for celebrating the saints already in heaven and asking for their intercession, as well as reflecting on our own passing someday (and how we can spiritually prepare).
These special remembrances point to the fact that we were created to live with God. They also show us that we are connected to others, even despite death. We were designed for communion with God and with each other.
To be sure, we pray for the dead and ask for the saints’ intercession throughout the year (in fact, in every Mass). But this month, let us renew our devotion to these practices, and deepen the preparation and anticipation of our own entry to heaven.
A prayer for the dead:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
A prayer celebrating the saints in heaven:
Dear God, thank you for the example of the saints. I desire to join in their company, worshiping you forever in heaven. Please help me follow their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ. Please help me to conform myself to Your image, seeking Your will in all things, as the saints did. Please help me to devote myself, and all that I do, to Your glory, and to the service of my neighbors. Amen.
