By Fr. Leo Camurati, ISDA Chaplain
November is dedicated, in traditional Catholic reckoning, to praying for the faithful departed. They come to mind quite readily as the days fade, the air chills, and the sun’s light softens. Honestly, it’s my favorite time of year: we turn to introspection as we turn our air conditioning off.
First, because it’s clear that it can’t last. The fading light from shortening days is fleeting. The same with our lives, no? We’re invited to savor what lies ahead of us while considering what (and who) we have left behind. Life’s changes present challenges, but the sweep and span of life helps make it beautiful too!
Moreover, the chill we feel is a subtle indication of where we are headed. In the Book of Kings, David’s death is preceded by his inability to keep warm on his own. While I don’t suggest the solution he tried, that chill showed him and shows us that we can no longer count on what we once took for granted. This time of year invites us to think of the past dog days of summer we sweated through and brace ourselves for some harsh days to come.
Finally, that softer light frames our whole view. Some days bring the blazing light of 15-hour days, but these days are meant to be softer both in weather and in mood. Much of our consumerist culture seeks to maximize every sense and experience while charging you a quick buck to do it. November invites us to do more with less. This can be difficult as we try to cut back from what we don’t need and can feel more cutting still when noticing the missing seat at the Thanksgiving table. But it is a process we undertake in the soft light of autumn rather than the glaring light of summer.
This month is a time to consider and pray for the dead. The Vatican just extended Indulgences once reserved for the first week of November to the whole month. It could be a very fitting “November sort of thing” to head to a Cemetery, take stock of the days, savor the light, steep in the chill (not for too long, though), and pray for the departed, entrusting them to the same Love that unites you to them even now while you walk in the Land of the Living.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.
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