Family Reunion: A Time to Remember and Reconnect: Reflection for the Feast of All Saints, November 1, 2009

Family Reunion: A Time to Remember and Reconnect:
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12
Scripture can be read at http//www.usccb.com/nab.

Family reunions can be wonderful ways to develop and foster a sense of connection with the past and present. People in photos take on new life; people in family stories assume a new reality; beloved memories resurface.

This weekend we celebrate our connection to those who have died. As we remember members of our own family, we also remember the greater extended family of God, including saints who are known to the universal church family and the countless saints who are known only to their local church or personal family. And as we remember, we once again acknowledge that death is part of life; death is the door that one enters to a new way of living.

Today God’s Word reminds us that there is life after this life (Revelation). As we remember those who now live in a new and fuller way, we can recall the love, care, and service that many of these people showed in their lives as they tried to live the message of Jesus (Matthew).
In turn, we can be encouraged by the promise of reunion (1 John) and be renewed in our desire to live a truly meaningful life that shows that each of us is a child of God.

To think about:
Who are some of the truly holy people I have known? What qualities of these people do I admire and remember?
How do I keep the memory of these people alive in my own life?
Have my views of death grown and changed as I mature and age?
Do I let a view of life beyond this life influence my priorities?
How do I keep the memory of a loved one alive? How do I want to be remembered by others? How does belief in God’s love affect my view of life and death?

To do:
Remember loved ones who have died by taking out pictures or telling stories about them. Consider a way that one person who has died touched your life and do something that reflects the person’s life.
Thank God for people who have been part of your life.
Call or visit someone who has recently experienced the loss of a loved one.

To pray: Hear Jesus say to you: “Rejoice and be glad. Blessed are you!"

Next week: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: 1Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9: 24-28; Matthew 12: 38-44