My thoughts on All Soulsí Day

 I woke up early to write this piece and pondered on whether I should write my usual column for today, which is All Soulsí Day, or use this day to evangelize or preach about souls? Since it is still a holiday, therefore I decided that I shouldnít be writing about secular or serious issues and talk on what the Catholic Church teaches us about souls.

 So the first question to ask isÖîWhat is a soul?î Most religions define the soul as mind, spiritÖ or self.î The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us in 355 ìGod created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created the: Man occupies a unique place in creation; (1) he is ìin the image of Godî; (2) in his own nature he unites the spiritual and material worlds; (3) he is created ìmale and femaleî; (4) God established him in his friendship.î

 Clearly, human souls just did not appear into the firmament. At the moment of conception, God creates our souls. We read in Jeremiah 1: 5 ìBefore I formed you in the womb I knew you. And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.î It is this passage that made me a pro-life advocate, for anything that we do against Godís will makes us a ìSatanî or an obstacle to the salvific plan of God.

 In the Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 356 it says, ìOf all visible creatures only man is ìable to know and love his creator.î He is ìthe only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake.î He alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in Godís own life. It was for this end that he was created, and this is the fundamental reason for his dignity.î

 What is crystal clear to me is that God just didnít create souls to float in heavenÖ he created souls to fuse into our physical bodies at the moment of conception as God is a participant in the creation of man. Sure, a man and a woman may be having sex, but for as long as God doesnít put a soul into the womanís womb, the woman will never get pregnant.

 Without any doubt, man is both flesh and soul. Therefore man cannot be born without a soul and when man dies, the soul leaves his physical body. Yet so many of us live our lives as if our souls didnít exist at all. We nourish our bodies with great food, drink the best wines and beautify ourselves in the gym or in the beauty parlor, yet our inner selves long for Godís love. This inner love of God inside our souls is clearly pointed out in the Catechism no. 358 ìGod created everything for man, but man in turn was created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to him.î

 Today, thanks to senseless materialism, liberalism, modernism and secularismÖ yes, letís also throw in communism, those who espouse these thoughts have literally thrown away their souls and believe only in their bodies. God no longer exists. He has become a figment of manís great capacity to imagine things. I can only second guess that this is happening because these people have not asked God for the grace of faith. Yes, faith just doesnít enter your soulsÖ you have to ask God for the grace of faith.

 In John 6:44, our Lord Jesus Christ clearly said, ìNo one can come to me unless the Father draws him to me and I will raise him up at the last day.î Since it is God the Father who created each and every one of us, therefore he truly has intimate knowledge of us. How do we know this?

 Let me bring you to Matt: 10: 28-31 ìAnd do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Fatherís knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge him before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.î

 This scripture passage was clearly designed for those atheists who do not believe in GodÖ for they doom themselves into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna. So as you walk to the many cemeteries here in Cebu and look at the graves or tombs of those who have died and are buried thereÖ it is time to ponder and ask, ìWhere are the souls of these dead people?î †In Cempark, there are different kinds of tombsÖ those who have ordinary graves six feet under with their names on marble slabs and thereís the great mausoleums of the extremely rich that probably cost more than an average house.

 Yet the same question must be asked ìWhere are the souls of the dead inside these mausoleums?î Since we cannot be sure where the souls are, therefore the prudent way is to pray for these souls, for prayers are never wasted. So today, let us all pray for the souls of our dearly departed relatives and friends in the hope that they will get their heavenly reward.

* * *

Email: [email protected]