The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls), Monday, November 2, 2026

Gospel

John 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.”

Reflection

On the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, we remember our loved ones who are no longer with us. While their absence may still bring sadness and leave us wishing we had more time with them, today’s Gospel offers us a promise to hold onto. Jesus says, “I will not reject anyone who comes to 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”. These words remind us that death does not have the final say. Though we may feel helpless in the face of death, we can find comfort in knowing that those who have passed on are never beyond the reach of God's love and mercy. We may not understand everything about what comes after this life, but we can entrust those we have lost to the One who promises resurrection.

Today is a reminder that faith does not mean we stop grieving or that we have to set aside the sadness that comes with losing someone we love. Rather, it means allowing our grief and our hope to exist together. We remember those who have gone before us, pray for them, and trust them to God's mercy. Our love for them does not simply end with their passing, and neither does our hope.