Reflecting on the Word

By Dr. Karla J. Bellinger

Jesus breathed his last. He made no sound. Mary and the beloved  disciple listened for his voice. No sound came. He was no more. The  silence beneath the cross must have been unbearable. 

At the death of a loved one, a hole opens up. Someone who had  traveled with us is no more. We call out. No one answers. The silence  can be unbearable. 

On these days of All Saints and All Souls, how can we celebrate  the dead? Death is not to be dismissed lightly. Death is emptiness.  Death is heartache. Death is real. 

And yet . . . 

I remember once thinking that I was hearing angelic voices. I was  sitting in the teachers’ lounge. I turned, for it sounded as though  it was coming from outside the window. On that spring day, the  choir director had the high school girls practicing for Mass, singing  alleluias by the pond. The window was closed. The music was far  away. But it was sweet. It was pure. It was a taste of celestial joy. 

Listen! Can you hear it? The far-off sound of singing rings in  our ears.

In the Gospel, Mary and John had to wait three days before they  heard Jesus’ voice again. You and I, we’ll wait longer than three days  to hear the voices of those we love. But while we wait, we listen. Can  you hear it? 

We may not yet hear the roaring hallelujahs of heaven. But alleluias  from a distance trickle into our silence. Tiny notes of gladness  sprinkle into our grief. Joyous memories, warm stories, favorite  songs, the granddaughter who looks so like her grandmother—we  have tastes of eternity, even while here on earth. Those we love are  not dead. They are alive. 

Today, we celebrate! The blessed have come through victorious.  Listen! Can you hear the singing? Maybe they’re even . . . dancing? 

Consider/Discuss 

  • What distant alleluias have you heard that have given you hope? What  glimmers of eternity have you seen? 
  • One of my favorite things about All Saints Day is the people who come to  Mass. The 4:30 p.m. Saturday Mass saints seem to gather with the 7:30  a.m. Sunday saints and the 10:30 a.m. saints—all of the holy people of a parish come together in one space. This is a taste of heaven on earth, a joy  to be together. It might even be a good day for a party. Who do you most  hope to see when you get to the celebration of heaven?  

Living and Praying with the Word 

Alleluia, alleluia! Let the holy anthem rise! Jesus, you showed us  that death is not the final answer. Let the choirs of heaven chant  it in the temple of the skies! As you rose, we also want to rise. We  want to run and greet those we love. Saints among the saints, we live  in joyful hope of that day. Thank you for this day to celebrate our  hope. Most of all, we want to celebrate you! Thank you for making  it all possible.

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