Live Right

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110217.cfm) reminds me that I should always live right so I can spend eternity with God. 

Almost all people see death as a sad event. No one wants to be separated from the one they love. Wakes and funerals are very sad situations. However, we should not forget the death is not a permanent separation. And just as we are sad with what happened, we have faith that our loved one is already in heaven. And instead of feeling sad and sorry all our lives, instead of hoping we could have done more, that we could have given more, we should live right instead. We should live a life pleasing to God, so when our time comes, we will be able to enter heaven and be reunited with our loved one.

God loves us that he sent Jesus to live and die for us. Not only that, he did so even if we do not acknowledge him. He loved us even if we were still not on his side. The second reading tells us that God proved his love for us, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Hindi hinintay ng Diyos na mahalin mo sya bago ka nya minahal. 

He did not wait for us to acknowledge him in our lives. He did not wait until we believe in and follow Him. He just loved us, hoping we would recognize. He loved us hoping we would appreciate. He loved us hoping we would love him back. Jesus’ dying gave us new life, gave us an opportunity to be with him forever. The first reading and gospel affirms this.

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

God wants to raise us up on the last day. But we should want it too. He cannot give it to us if we do not accept Him, if we do not want that. We should do our part. And how we live on earth would tell God if we want to be with him forever or not.

No matter how painful temporary separation through death is, let us have faith that we will be raised up again in God’s time. Just as we pray for the souls of our dearly departed, we should live our lives here as a preparation for life eternal with God. We should do our part so that when the time comes, we can be reunited with them in paradise, and have eternal happiness with God.

May we always remember not only to pray for our dearly departed, but to live right, having faith that when the time comes, we will be reunited in God's kingdom. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the reminder. Thank you for loving me, even before I loved you. Thank you for reminding me that you will raise us all up on the last day, and we will be forever with you. Sorry for the times I forget this. And sorry for the times I forget to do my part as I live. I pray for the souls of the dearly departed, especially those who have no one to pray for them. Accept them in your kingdom, Lord. I also ask for your help so I can live my life in preparation for eternity with you. Help me live right, so that when you call me, I can enter your kingdom and be reunited with the ones I love and with you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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November 2, 2017
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
(All Souls)
Lectionary: 668

The following are a selection of the readings that may be chosen for this day.

Reading 1WIS 3:1-9

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.

Responsorial Psalm PS 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Reading 2ROM 5:5-11

Brothers and sisters:
Hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only that,
but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.

OrROM 6:3-9

Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus 
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, 
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead 
by the glory of the Father, 
we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, 
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him, 
so that our sinful body might be done away with, 
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.

AlleluiaMT 25:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelJN 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."