THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

ALL SOULS: Psalm 23

In Zambia, we are mourning President Michael Chilufya Sata. His body arrived from London this Saturday morning. It happens that, at the beginning of November, the Catholic Church celebrates two feasts that always move together: the feast of All Saints and the feast of All Souls. In them, we look back to the people who have gone before us and who have shown us the way. We reflect not only on death in general but on our dead, the ones we were connected with, who influenced our lives and became role models that we strive to imitate. We remember them and we celebrate them, because their way of life helps us to find meaning to our lives and our deaths.

It is interesting that faced with the death of their President, the Zambian people keep this time of mourning in an attitude of sorrow and of celebration as well. They celebrate the life of someone who by his persistence and endurance in the struggle for his political ideals became an example for so many others, so that they may have the courage to go ahead with their daily battles, never accepting defeat, until they reach their goals.

In the Catholic Church, we celebrate these two feasts with two basic attitudes: one of rejoicing and thanksgiving and the other of humbleness and trust in God’s mercy and compassion. Indeed, the feast of All Souls is a recognition of our sinfulness and a profession of faith that salvation is a gift. We are saved by grace, that’s is by God’s mercy and compassion. We may try hard to answer God’s call and to be his faithful servants, but we always fall far short of the fulness that only God can give. In the feast of All Souls, we entrust our departed brothers and sisters to God’s care and God’s mercy.

By celebrating the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, we proclaim that we form one community with all those who have preceded us. We are the body of Christ, and in Christ we live the communion of saints. Being one with them, we sing God’s praises and put ourselves in his arms that embrace us with love. As we remember all those who went before us, we may pray (or sing) the Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

 He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

 he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

for his name’s sake.

 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me. (Ps 23:1-4)