Commemorating All the Departed of the Society of Jesus
This November, the Society of Jesus and the Catholic Church invites us into a season of remembrance for all who have gone before us, and especially today, a time to lift up our hearts in prayer for all the departed members of the Society of Jesus. Today we come together in spirit with those who have gone before us, imploring God’s mercy upon their souls and finding strength in the promise of eternal life.
Reflecting on our Jesuit tradition, I am reminded of St. Ignatius’ wisdom in the Spiritual Exercises, where he calls us to a deep, humble trust in God’s providence. Ignatius urges us to contemplate the love of God at work in every moment, a love that transcends life and death. Just as Ignatius knew that the hand of God guides us here on earth, he trusted that this same hand would gather us into the fullness of life beyond this world.Our faith teaches us that death is not the end, but rather a passage. As Ecclesiastes tells us, “For everything, there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven, a time to be born and a time to die.” These words invite us to surrender to the mystery of God’s timing and to trust in the will of God. St. Paul reminds through his letter to the Romans, that whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. This sense of belonging sustains us and our departed loved ones in an everlasting communion.
In the Society of Jesus, our communion of the living and the dead forms an unbroken bond in Christ our Lord, a communion that is strengthened each time we celebrate the Eucharist, each time we recall our departed in prayer. We remember our companions who have walked this journey of faith, dedicated their lives to the service of Christ, and sought to follow the example of Jesus, who “humbled himself, becoming obedient to death” (Philippians 2:8). Our journey through life and death in Christ should conduce us to yearn for the lord and to remain in his presence all the days of our lives. David yearned to live in the presence of the Lord as he prayed “My soul thirsts for you, O God” (Psalm 42:2). We too thirst for God just as David and many of our departed brothers and sisters did, for we all long to see God’s face.
This November, let us lift our voices, joining in prayer as we entrust their souls to God’s infinite mercy, that they may see God’s face and dwell in His house forever.
Let us take time this month to offer our prayers, entrusting our beloved departed to the compassionate heart of our Father. And may our hearts be filled with the hope of eternal life, for in Christ, we are all bound together. Whether in life or death, we are united as one body, one Spirit. May our departed Jesuit brothers and all those we hold dear rest in God’s peace, and may we one day join them in everlasting joy.
Amen