Homily: November 3, 2024, Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Memento Mori)

 In the 2,000-year history of the Church, monastic orders like the Cistercians and Trappists have existed, and the monks dedicate themselves to a life of deep contemplation and penance. Some of these monks take a vow of perpetual silence, speaking only in an emergency.

When they pass each other in the monastery, their silent greeting is "memento mori" - "remember death." They remind each other daily to consider the reality of death and to always be prepared for it.

Today, November 2, we commemorate All Souls' Day, remembering all the departed souls in purgatory who long to see God face-to-face. Like the consecrated monks, this commemoration invites us to pause and reflect on our own mortality.

Memento mori. Remember death. We probably have said goodbye to many people in our lives: family, friends, relatives, famous people and people who have done great deeds that impacted society. Some of their names may have already faded from our memories. Perhaps we’ve even stopped praying for them.

As St. James reminds us, “You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.” We too will leave this earth in God’s time, and one day others will gather in a church to bid farewell to us. Over time, we might also be forgotten by the world, our existence will be reduced to memories which will slowly fade away.

Memento Mori. Remember death. The possessions we hold dear to us now - our homes, our wealth, our achievements - will eventually be gone or belong to others. The world will continue as normal even without us. Our days are not infinite; they are numbered.

For those who love the Lord, however, remembering death is not a cause for fear but it becomes a source of hope and joy. We look forward to the time when our souls will be united with God in eternity.

In today’s first reading, Moses tells us to “keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments… and thus have long life.”

For those who are faithful to the Lord’s commandments, there is a promise of eternal life. Moses gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments from God, and in the Gospel, Jesus summarized them into two: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

Memento Mori. Remember death. How will we be remembered after we are gone? Will we be remembered for what we did, who we are or how we made others feel? 

People would remember the times we shared with them, the care and kindness shown to them, the love we showered on them, and the help we extended to them. In this way, we might live on in their memories for some time.

Memento Mori. Remember death. We live in a world that constantly seeks to deny this reality, urging us to live for pleasure, status, and self-centered dreams. This selfish pursuit often divides families, communities, and nations, and leaves little room for God’s law in our hearts. Many live as though they will never die, giving little thought to the life after death.

Remembering our death keeps us humble. It refocuses our attention from worldly things to heavenly things, reminding us of the need to be prepared for what truly matters.

One day, every one of us will stand before the judgment seat of God. Let us pray that we will be able to hear the Lord say to us: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the eternal rest prepared for you.”

Amen.