Reflection for Monday November 2 The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls): Matthew 25:31-46

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'  

Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.'  

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'  

Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

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Reflection:

What do we feel when we sincerely help the poor, the needy, and those who are less fortunate than we are?

We experience an indescribable joy in our hearts. But who gives us this profound joy? It is Jesus, and no one else, because whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we also do for Him.

In our Gospel, we encounter two groups of people: those on the right and those on the left of the Lord. Those on His right are the ones who helped the hungry, cared for the sick, welcomed strangers, and visited those in prison. They showed love and compassion to those who needed them most. In contrast, those on His left were insensitive to the suffering of others and failed to extend a helping hand when they had the opportunity.

The Lord welcomed those on His right and granted them eternal life. However, those on His left received eternal punishment because they failed to show love and compassion to those in need. Through this Gospel, Jesus reminds us that our love for Him must be reflected in the way we treat our brothers and sisters, especially the poor and the less fortunate.

This Gospel invites us to examine our hearts and reflect on how we treat those who are struggling. Let us be sensitive to their needs and look around us. We may have relatives, neighbors, or friends who are not as financially blessed as we are. Sometimes, we become so preoccupied with our own comfort, possessions, and ambitions that we forget those who are struggling to make ends meet. We may have more than enough while others are wondering where they will get their next meal.

Let us never forget that our blessings are not meant for ourselves alone. God blesses us so that we can also become a blessing to others. We do not need to be wealthy to help someone in need. A simple act of kindness, a meal shared with someone who is hungry, a visit to someone who is lonely, or a sincere expression of concern can become a powerful expression of God's love. When we serve others with humble and loving hearts, we are also serving Jesus.

Today, as we commemorate All Souls' Day, we remember our departed loved ones. We offer Holy Mass for the repose of their souls, pray for them, and, whenever possible, visit their graves. We reminisce about the moments we shared with them, especially the beautiful memories that continue to live in our hearts. We thank God for the gift of their lives and for the love they shared with us.

As we remember those who have gone before us, let us also reflect on the lives we are living today. Our time on earth is limited, and we do not know when the Lord will call us home. What matters most is not how much wealth we accumulate or how many possessions we leave behind, but how much love we have shared and how many lives we have touched through our kindness and generosity.

Someday, we, too, will stand before the Lord. May we be able to look back on our lives with grateful hearts, knowing that we did not turn away from those who needed our help. May Jesus find in us hearts that are compassionate, hands that are willing to serve, and lives that reflect His love.

As we remember our departed loved ones today, let us ask ourselves: If Jesus were to stand before us now in the person of someone who is poor, hungry, lonely, or suffering, would we recognize Him, open our hearts to Him, and lovingly extend our helping hands—or would we simply turn away and walk past Him?—Marino J. Dasmarinas