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From: Mary Zimmerman
November 1, we celebrate the great solemnity of All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation for Catholics. I attended 12:10 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral with Bishop Quinn as the celebrant. It was such a beautiful Mass. I must have experienced a foretaste of heaven. I sometimes wonder if Protestants and perhaps even some Catholics wonder what kind of a gesture we are making right before the gospel is read. Actually it is of utmost important for God’s Word (the gospel), to penetrate into our heart. We trace the sign of the cross on our forehead, lips and heart as we ask God to be in our mind, on our lips and in our heart.
I recently heard the farthest distance we encounter is from our head (mind and thought) to our heart. There is a quicker way to connect. It comes through our prayers uttered by our lips (Jesus be on my lips) yes, then more quickly, earnestly can the heart react to what the mind tells it (by prayer). Truly the barrier of distance has been broken between the head and the heart and a short cut to heaven as well. Let the purifying effects of God’s mercy flow through our thoughts to turn them toward love and kindness.
We are all called to holiness and to be saints. One just needs to desire it above and beyond what the world has to offer and cooperate with the graces God so wishes to bestow upon us, most especially His mercy. These gifts to us often come about through another’s prayers for us. Parents pray much for your children. If you don’t, who will? Pray for yourself and all the living and dead. When death comes, it seems to the world we are dead, no life within us. We as Christians know this isn’t true. We are actually more alive than ever. We just need to look beyond the grave to an eternity of hopefully joy (heaven). We as Catholics believe one must be without blemish or sin, somehow repented for past forgiven sins, so we say thanks for the reality of purgatory.
November 2, we celebrated All Souls Day. The whole month of November is set aside to especially remember in prayer our dear departed. I’m sure the amount of time spent in purgatory varies. I’m sure babies, young children and very holy souls avoid it completely. Our son Duane was killed in 1976, and I continue to have Masses said for his soul. We really can’t make that judgment if they have arrived in heaven, however I feel by now Duane has. He had so many good qualities.
I’m hoping people won’t judge me according to that and how I write (it always reflects the goodness of God more than myself), and fail to have Masses said for me. I promise I will pass them on if I’m not in need or maybe even if I’m in need (I love to give).
The mercy of God as given through St. Faustina in the 1930s leaves me with great hope and trust for this mercy to penetrate my heart and the hearts of my family, to one day be all once again joined together in heaven - we are all called to be saints.
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