All Souls’ Day
November 2, 2014
4 PM & 10 AM Liturgies
The official “Ordo” of the church sets out all the guidelines for
celebrating Eucharist on any given day. Today’s Ordo offers me
three choices for what to wear: Black, Violet (purple) or white. As
you might imagine, the color depends almost entirely upon which
theology one is working within.
It’s Black if you think the departed souls are in Purgatory
awaiting prayers to “move on.” It’s Violet, if you are not really sure
where they are but are convinced they still need “purgation”
somehow. And it’s White, if you think theologically that they might
already be enjoying the embrace of God’s eternal mercy and love.
The celebration of All Souls’ Day depends almost entirely
upon the theological notion of Purgatory. That makes it a difficult
day to really celebrate since so many today are not sure that
Purgatory even exists in the way most of us were taught. (Didn’t
we just get rid of Limbo?)
It is, therefore, with some trepidation and desire to be gentle
with our dreams and memories that I will attempt to explore the
celebration with you. It may not be easy for some of us, but hang in
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there. Clarifying theologies is necessary before deciding how we
want to celebrate. There is an ancient statement that highlights
the relationship between theology and worship. Lex Orandi, Lex
Credendi! Loosely: the way we believe shapes the way we pray. Or
as we worship, so we believe. And vice-versa!
As Anglican Bishop and scripture scholar, N.T. Wright writes:
“Purgatory is basically a Roman Catholic doctrine. It is not held as
such in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, and it was decidedly
rejected, on biblical and theological grounds and not merely
because of antipathy to particular abuses, at the Reformation”
(Surprised by Hope, p. 166). The abuses he refers to are, of course,
the selling of indulgences to help “souls” get out of Purgatory. That
is a theology that some continue to hold to this day.
But, to be clear, the notion of some intermediate place of
purgation is a decidedly medieval notion. The theological
underpinnings come from Thomas Aquinas and Dante. But the
notion had legs—to use a contemporary phrase. It was heartily
supported by Blessed Cardinal Newman (The Dream of Gerontius)
and remained a treasured, if somewhat frightening doctrine, in
most Catholic minds until the time of the Second Vatican Council. It
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is a notion that has fared less well in both biblical and theological
circles ever since that Council.
Shortly after the Council, none other than Avery Dulles (later
to be made a Cardinal) in response to a question about Purgatory
said, the doctrine was “closed for repairs.” Even more remarkable
was Cardinal Ratzinger’s (now Pope–Emeritus Benedict XVI)
observation that Purgatory is not a state or a place but a process.
And he argued “the Lord himself is the fire of judgment, which
transforms us as he conforms us to his glorious resurrected body.
This happens not during a long drawn-out process but in the
moment of final judgment itself” (Wright’s quote in Surprised by
Hope).
I wish to add just two more highly respected contemporary
theologians, John Thiel, whose brand new book is titled “Images of
Hope: the ‘Last Things’ in Catholic Imagination, (Notre Dame Press,
2014), and Father Leo O’Donovan, S.J. who reviews Thiel’s book in
this week’s Commonweal Magazine. I mention all these esteemed
contemporary theologians so no one will think me the heretic here
and walk out unhappy!
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The way I was taught about All Souls’ Day assumed this sharp
distinction between the “saints” who are already in heaven and the
“souls,” who aren’t and who are therefore still less than completely
happy and need our help to “move on,” as we might say today. This
is precisely what Bishop Wright argues against—and quite
convincingly. He says quite simply, “there is no reason in the New
Testament to suppose that there are any category distinctions
between different Christians in heaven as they await the [final]
resurrection. In the early Christian writings all Christians are
saints.” Listen to St. Paul!
Once again he writes, nothing indicates anywhere in the
scriptures or in the early tradition “that there is a difference of
status or of celestial geography or of temporal progression
between one category of Christians after death or another.”
Wright’s conclusion: “Death itself gets rid of all that is still sinful;
this isn’t magic but good theology.”
O’Donovan summarizes the discussion this way: “There is
still suspense because we do not yet know how each of us and how
all of us together will be judged, but also because we do not yet
know if God’s grace and mercy will finally lead to universal
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salvation—although we may hope for that à la Rahner, von
Balthasar, and Moltman.”
Let me try to be clear again using a few words from Bishop
Wright. He says “I see no reason why we should not pray for and
with the dead and every reason that we should—not that they will
get out of Purgatory but that they will be refreshed and refilled
with God’s joy and peace.” Sounds like something Pope Francis
might say too!
So all our deceased loved ones may already be sharing in
God’s loving embrace. That really seems to be what the early
scriptures suggest, and what the earliest traditions record.
Together we are all baptized into the Lord’s death; together we rise
with him in his glorious resurrection; and together we are all
called to continue the ministry of reconciling and healing our
world until that day when the new heavens and the renewed earth
again merge into that new Jerusalem prepared for us all before the
beginning of time.
You notice I am wearing White today. The same color we now
use for funeral liturgies. It may not be just wishful thinking; it may
be just good theology.
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All holy souls and saints of God, pray for us as we remember
and pray for you. Peace!
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