The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

All Souls Day

November 2, 2018 

Readings:

First Reading: Wisdom 3: 1-9

Psalm: 23

Second Reading: Romans 6: 3-9

Gospel reading according to Matthew 25: 31-46

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Homily:

It will come a time that Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, come back on this earth with his glory and with the angels as his companions, after his passion, death and resurrection to judge all the living and dead creatures.  “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘When the Son of Man comes in glory and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him’.” (Mt. 25: 31-32).  He guaranteed his disciples that he will be coming back in the fullness of time, and like a judge or a king he will sit in his throne and all the peoples of all the nations, “which no one could count from every nation, race, people and tongue, color, language, etc.” (cf. Rev. 7: 9), will come and assemble to be judged and/or mediated. 

As a king or a judge, first he will separate the good peoples and nations from the bad people or nations, like the good shepherd separating his sheep from goats.  “And he will separate them one from the other, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (Mt. 25: 32-33).  He will put all the good peoples and/or nations (the sheep) to his right side while the bad peoples and/or nations (the goats) to his left side to see clearly the separations and demarcations between the two groups.

Afterwards, after the segregations, the king or judge will give him his verdict.  Since the king or judge or Jesus Christ himself experienced the goodness and the badness of different peoples in different nations he can truly and honestly pointed out who made good things to his neighbors or bad things against the other persons.  “Walang makakalusot sa huling paghuhukom,” nobody can escape and be free from the scrutiny of Jesus.  “Then the king will say on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.  Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave  me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me” (Mt. 25: 34-36).  The people he put in his right Jesus will welcome them who made good things to their neighbors and rewarding them the kingdom prepared long time ago since the foundation of the world.  He will narrate one by one to them the goodness they have done to their neighbors, from the smallest to the grandest, even the minute details he will recount.  The food we share, the water we give, the welcome we have shown, the clothes we provide, the medicine we contribute, the visit we have made, and many others, all these are recorded in the Book of Deeds and the Acts of Deeds we have performed.       

Those who are put to the right will response for them these simple gestures of being neighbors to others are out of their generosity and kindness, their being compassionate and merciful.  “Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  When did we see you stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?” (Mt. 25: 37-39).  They do not realize that the small kindness and generosity they have shown to those who are in need count a lot for the salvation of their souls.  “And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me’.” (Mt. 25: 40).  To Aling Solly, Lelang Emerenciana and Lola Prescila whom you have shared you food, to Mang Eppie, Lelong Pascual and Lolo Agapito to whom you have given a drink, to Aling Serya whom you welcomed in your house, to Mang Sixto whom you clothed, to Erwin and Pogie you visited in prison, to Cecille, Erlinda, Peng, Manuel, Anastacio, Jessie, Rosa and Totong whom you offered care and medicine, and to other ordinary, simple, poor neighbors, and to the least of your brothers and sisters in your community, to all of them whom you shared your kindness, generosity, compassion and mercy, you did it to Jesus, the King and Judge of all.  “And these will go off . . . to eternal life” (Mt. 25: 46).  Heaven will not forget the goodness you have done and shared to the least, the last and the lost of your brothers and sisters whoever they maybe.