Dia de los Muertos - All Saints Day

Today’s Scriptures: Lectionary selections from the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 Ephesians 1:11-23 Luke 6:20-31

Today’s Reflection: Anyone who has lost a loved one knows the pain, real pain, grief brings. Today, a day we set aside to remember those who have , passed away could easily rival Good Friday as the most depressing day on the Christian calendar. In English we call it “All Saints Day,” elevating our dead to a revered status, but in Spanish, “Dia de los Muertos” translates to “Day of the Dead!” We avoid “dead” and “died” in English as much as possible. No matter how we euphemise the end of our physical life we associate it with sadness. Regardless of what we would imagine the day to be it is actually a joyous celebration that rivals Easter. Today’s scriptures use words like forever, glorious inheritance, blessed! Today we replace tears with smiles. Over the years I have observed that when the grief of loss has subsided, almost every memory we recall of your loved ones brings a smile or outright laughter. Those memories give us comfort and a keep us connected to those who have passed. While we celebrate their lives here, we rejoice that they have moved toward Heaven. Each of the Scriptures for today points us to that heavenly eternity with those who believe. It is something for us to constantly seek while in this life. And on days like today, it assures us in our remembrances of those who came before us.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org