Newsletter – The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed Souls. Year C.

REFLECTION by Dianne Bergant CSA

If we are honest we will have to admit that though we have died with Christ to sin and risen with him to new life, we do not fully die to sin. In fact, there are many times in our lives when we live in sin, when we actually cling to sin. What happens to those who die in such a state? They may not have turned completely away from the goodness of God, but they have not been faithful either. The remnants of sin cling to them, making them somewhat unfit to stand before the face of God. Are they lost? Or are they saved?

In God there is mercy in abundance. Jesus is not willing to lose anyone. Therefore, the power of Jesus and the strength of his promises give us hope that even after death there is the possibility of purification and pardon. We have no idea of when this might happen or how it will happen. All we know is that the lovingkindness of God far surpasses any infidelity of which we might be guilty.

The feast of All Souls is not a feast of sadness, but one of great hope and confidence. It invites us to entrust our dead to God, because we know that they are really God’s dead. We know that if we have loved them, God has loved them more. They are in God’s care, and like a good shepherd God will lead them to peace.

© Dianne Bergant CSA
Dianne Bergant CSA was a Professor of Biblical Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where she taught from 1978 to 2014. She holds a BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, WI; an MA and PhD in Biblical Languages and Literature from St Louis University. Amongst other things, she served as President of Catholic Biblical Association of America (2000-2001) and has been awarded honorary doctorates from several other universities. She was an active member of the Chicago Catholic/Jewish Scholars Dialogue (1988-2017) and sat on the editorial boards of The Bible Today (1979-2005), Biblical Theology Bulletin (1990-2014), Catholic Biblical Quarterly (1992-2001), New Theology Review (1997-2003), Teaching Theology and Religion (2003-2005), and Chicago Studies (2003-2009). She has taught and lectured in many places in the United States and abroad and has written numerous books, articles and chapters in books.