"And I shall raise him on the last day."

This Sunday we will celebrate All Souls’ Day and the readings give us the basis for this beautiful tradition of remembering our departed brethren. The First Reading (Wis. 3: 1-9) tells us that even though they “seemed in the view of the foolish to be dead,” theirs is a hope “full of immortality” for they are “in the hand of God” and “in peace.” Jesus declares in the Gospel (Jn. 6:37-40) that such is the will of the Father: “This is the will of Him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day.” This is all because of God’s love, as St. Paul explains in the Second Reading (Rom. 5:5-11): “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
All Souls Day, Nov. 2, 2014
From the Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University
Sunday Mass Readings
Podcast of the Readings 
Video of Reflections on Readings
Lecturas y Comentarios 
New American Bible
Prayer of the Hours

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Questions on Sunday's Readings for use by discussion groups,
prayer groups, or for individual prayer.
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First Reading
Wisdom, Chapter 3, Verses 1-9

1. Scripture says, “As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.” Why would gold be put into “the furnace”? Why would an offering have to be “sacrificed”? Have you ever had to sacrifice some of yourself and then found yourself “taken to God’s self” afterwards?

2. Can you give some examples of persons who are just, and who therefore, “shine and dart about as sparks through stubble”?

Second Reading
Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 5-11

1. How do you think “God proves his love for us” through the life of Christ?

2. The Holy Spirit pours God’s love into all souls. Does this fact give you hope or does it make you skeptical?

Gospel
John, Chapter 6, Verses 37-40

1. What was the “will of the one who sent Jesus,” as mentioned in the Gospel of John? When did God get this idea? Or was it a plan from all eternity to send Jesus to earth?

2. Jesus promised eternal life to everyone who believes in him. Do your deceased loved ones have this eternal life? Do you think God sometimes gives us signs that our departed ones are safe? Have you ever received such a sign?