HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

The Feast of All Souls (Year C)

Nov 2, 2025

333

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of Wisdom (11:22-12:2)

Before the Lord the whole universe is as a grain on a balance or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sin that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it, or the preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14)

(R) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. (R)

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. (R)

Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R)

The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. The Lord lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians (1:11-2:2)

Brothers and sisters: We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a "spirit", or by an oral statement, or by letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (19:1-10)

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner," But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

In today's first reading, the Prophet Isaiah (25:6-9) describes people gathering on a mountain for a banquet. The "mountain" that the prophet speaks of refers to the physical location of Mount Zion, which encompassed all of Jerusalem, including Mount Moriah, where King Solomon built the first Temple for God, and the symbolic representation of God's eternal presence and kingdom. In the New Testament, Mount Zion represents the spiritual realm and the ultimate dwelling place of God's people, that is, the Church or the community of believers in Christ which is also described as the New heavenly Jerusalem, and the perfected, eternal community of all God's people in heaven, Hebrews (12:22-23) and Revelation (14:1).

Now, when it comes to banquet, food is a major part of it. We, human beings, love not only good and nutritious but also delicious food. In the context of a banquet, the food is typically lavish, abundant, and well-prepared and it is served to celebrate a special occasion, event, or milestone, achievement, anniversary, or to honour a person or group. So also, the banquet that the prophet Isaiah describes is special for many reasons.

First and foremost, God Himself will host and prepare the banquet. The Bible is replete with accounts of God providing food and drink for people, and they are used in varied ways, ranging from descriptions of literal meals and daily physical sustenance to parables, metaphors for divine provision, spiritual nourishment, growth, and fellowship with God, and powerful symbols of communal joy, victory, liberation, faith and reconciliation. These accounts ultimately reveal that God meets us where we are, addressing both fundamental physical needs and profound spiritual needs.

Secondly, God won't provide just any food, but the best food and finest drink. In the verse Isaiah (25:6b) omitted in today's text, the Prophet states that the Lord will provide "the best of meats" and "the finest of wines". "The best of meats and the finest wines" symbolize the complete spiritual satisfaction and joy, intimate communion and fellowship with God and others, eternal salvation and peace, far surpassing any earthly pleasure or necessity, that God will provide, signifying His lavish care for His people.

Thirdly, God will provide the banquet to "all peoples" and "all nations". That's to say that the heavenly banquet is not solely for the chosen people of Israel but to all believers from all over the earth, signifying a universal gathering and celebration for all humanity.

Fourthly, the prophet uses the imagery of a "veil" as a picture for death that covers all humanity and envisions that "on this mountain, God will destroy the veil" indicating that through God's future action, there will not be merely a temporary reprieve but a complete and total elimination of death. Moreover, the prophet points out that as part of God's ultimate victory, God will wipe away tears from all faces and remove the reproach of his people. It shows that God's care for his people is so deep that he promises to not only end death but also personally and intimately comfort them by eliminating all negative aspects associated with death such as, grief, sorrow, pain, and all the emotional suffering that causes tears and the shame, insults, and mockery that people may have endured, righting all wrongs and healing all hurts.

The prophet then concludes with a vision of people rejoicing and being glad because the promised eternal salvation and peace has finally arrived; they trusted in God and He saved them. Thus, Isaiah brings hope to all peoples by foretelling a future banquet prepared by God on Mount Zion, signifying a time of ultimate peace, joy, and restoration.

As Isaiah, the Apostle Paul conveys a message of hope to believers who are experiencing grief and sorrow in his first letter to the Thessalonians (4:13-18) which we read today. Paul neither discourages nor condemns grieving. He does recognize grief, sorrow and tears as normal, healthy, and an acceptable form of human response to the physical separation caused by death and loss, even for those with strong faith. He himself expressed deep sorrow on different occasions. Even Jesus experienced these feelings. For instance, Jesus wept at Lazarus' tomb to show his deep compassion and empathy, connecting with the grief of those who were mourning.

However, He referred to Lazarus as having "fallen asleep", John (11), demonstrating that death was merely a temporary state from which he could rouse Lazarus, much like a person waking from sleep. Jesus made a similar statement regarding the daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader, before He raised her from the dead, Matthew (9:24), Mark (5:39) and Luke (8:52). Paul uses the same metaphor "falling asleep" or simply "asleep" to describe the physical death of Christians in order to provide comfort and hope concerning the resurrection. Both Jesus and Paul viewed death not as an end, but as a transition to a new, eternal existence with God in heaven because Jesus' resurrection is the guarantee of life after death for all believers.

Unbelievers have no hope of being in Heaven nor expectation of life after death and, therefore, they can fall into despair when someone dies. Whereas we believe in resurrection, an everlasting life after death because of our faith in Christ. Therefore, Paul wants us to grieve differently, yet genuinely and openly, precisely because we look forward to our reunion and to a New Heaven and a New Earth. Moreover, he encourages us to comfort each other with shared faith in the face of death, primarily by focusing on the hope of resurrection through Jesus Christ.

In today's gospel, John (14:1-6), Jesus too offers words of comfort and hope to his disciples, promising a future reunion with Himself and God the Father in a heavenly home. He commands his disciples not to be troubled, to believe in God and in Him, stating that he is going to prepare a place for them in His Father's house. He then reveals Himself as "the way, the truth, and the life," and the only way to the Father, reinforcing that He is not leaving them to be lost, but rather he is going to make a way for them to be with Him eternally. The "preparation" is not about building a physical structure but about preparing the way to God's kingdom for believers through his death and resurrection.

What is the message for us?

Today, we come together to fulfil one of the most important spiritual works of mercy, which is to remember and pray for all the faithful departed - the deceased members of our families and friends, the deceased deacons, priests, religious brothers and sisters, and all who have served the Church, those who have died for the faith in persecution, victims of natural disasters, accidents, violence, conflicts, war, hunger, disease and neglect, those who have taken their own lives, those who have died alone and in isolation, or without the comfort of the final sacraments, or who have no one on earth to pray for them, or whose names are known to God alone, and all aborted babies and the stillborn. We shall pray that all the dead may be purified in purgatory and brought to the mountain of hope, where they will join the promised heavenly feast with the angels, saints, and all the righteous in God's eternal presence, and where also we want to go one day.

In the meantime, we, the living, should focus on living a virtuous life, celebrating our faith, caring for one another, reminding one another of the gospel hope and the reunion with Christ to comfort one another in sorrow, while simultaneously fostering a deep trust in God's promises of future blessings and eternal life.

Our hope won't cause us shame or disappointment. It won't let us down because our hope is not about death. It's rather about personal and unending relationship with God, freedom from sin and misery, eternal life and bodily resurrection. Just as Jesus rose bodily from the grave, so will we and all the dead. Therefore, we have nothing to fear - not even death. When our hearts are troubled by the worries of this life and the pain of goodbyes, let us put our trust firmly in God and in Jesus Himself. Instead of giving in to a troubled heart, let us hold onto the promise of Jesus Christ who has gone ahead to prepare a place for us in His Father's House - a place of perfect peace and eternal belonging.

Let us fix our eyes on this certain hope to calm our anxious hearts and confidently follow Jesus as the way to heaven through our actions and faith. When we pray for the dead and live out a life of faith, mercy, and love, we are indeed preparing ourselves for a joyful heavenly banquet and reunion with God on His holy mountain.

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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