On Wednesday night, our family had brinner (breakfast as dinner). The kids love it. After brinner, my wife Joy announced that everyone should put on their pajamas, coats, and shoes and load up into the car.

The children were excited about the mysterious post-supper pajama excursion.

Even I didn’t  know what was happening. Joy leaned over and whispered in my ear. She had created a fun plan. A great idea.

Going where there are lots of people…

The kids came back from their rooms in pajamas and tennis shoes: “Where are we going?”

“We’re going where there are hundreds and hundreds of people!”

So they put on their pajamas, their shoes, and their coats. At around 7:45pm we stacked into the Suburban (we added a fourth row for seven children) and we drove to the large cemetery in our town. It was already dark!

“Kids, Holy Mother Church gives us the opportunity from Nov 1-8 do receive a plenary indulgence for the souls in Purgatory if we visit a cemetery.” (here’s the link to learn more on this Indulgence.) So we reviewed what we needed to do for the Indulgence and prayed for all the souls of our ancestors that might be in Purgatory.

We’re all going to die

It was a little eerie kneeling in a dark cemetery. We prayed the Act of Contrition (for detachment from sin), prayed for the Poor Souls, and prayed for the intentions of the Holy Father.

When we finished. I pointed to a grave and said, “Each one of you will be buried in a place like that one day. Your skeleton will be in the ground. Even your baby sister Elizabeth will die. Your mother. Me. We’re all going to die. But we have great hope in God.”

The cool autumn air made it a chilling experience for sure. Death waits for us. But in Christ Jesus, we have the hope of the Beatific Vision and the resurrection of the body. As Christians, we don’t fear death. We live to be worthy of a holy death. As we say in the Rosary, “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”

“O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? Now the sting of death is sin: and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55–57, D-R)

Today’s the last day…

Call to Action: Today is the last day for the cemetery indulgence running November 1-8! Don’t miss out. You and your friends or family should make a visit to a cemetery today and pray for the Poor Souls.

Learn how you can spring a soul from Purgatory in 4 Steps by clicking here.

Please “Share” on Facebook to spread the word and get others out to the cemetery.

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