Departed souls leave fingerprints on our hearts. I was thinking today of those who are dying and who have passed away. A friend of mine is saying goodbye to her father and the heartache is huge. I am sure the rush of memories that flood over the children at this time is overwhelming. We have so much to be grateful for to those who have gone before us.

Today is always a bittersweet day. I think about my sister, my gram, dear friends, and other relatives. I appreciate our times together and know that I am the person I am because they have been part of my life. The new pastor at my church gives us homework on Sundays and he had me thinking about who has helped me significantly on my faith journey. I realized that there are too many people to pick just one. The departed souls in my life have shown me and continue to bless me with their faith. At my age, I can flip through faces in my mind’s eyes for a long time before I run out of faith heroes. They come in all ages, shapes, sizes and colours. They are male and female. They are rich and poor. They are cognitively challenged and brilliant. The spectrum is broad. I may have known them for decades–or just had a life-changing brief encounter with them.

God is funny that way. People show up on your path and they walk a few steps or a whole continent with you. All I can do is marvel at the immense wonder that these relationships have brought me. Tonight I hold each memory with open hands and an open heart. I raise my hands to the One-Who-Created-All-of-Us and surrender each soul in my palms with joy. God is so good, so very good to me. How about to you?

Peace,

Suzanne

Reflection Questions

Who are a few of the departed souls that you are remembering with fondness tonight?
Is your heart breaking or rejoicing at this Feast Day?

Prayer

Creator God,
You send angels to usher
the departed souls into Heaven
having left a mark on a heart
that is never the same.
How blessed are we!

Amen.