November is a month traditionally set aside to remember and pray for the dead. Death is a reality that generates a wide variety of reactions: fear, anxiety, obsession, or even complete disregard. How should a Christian man see and think of death, and how does this differ from the way our culture sees it? What duty do we have towards the dead?
The Church offers us a triduum, three days of holy observance, to begin the month of the dead and rightly orient ourselves to death. While you will not often hear its name today, Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day together make up the Triduum of Allhallowtide. On Halloween, we do penance in preparation for the great feast. On All Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation, we celebrate all those myriad saints in heaven, particularly those who have not received official canonization, and pray for their intercession. On All Souls Day, we pray for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory as they undergo purification to receive the grace of heaven . Together, the Triduum of Allhallowtide orients us to a Christian vision of death–the hope of “the life of the world to come.” From November 1st to the 8th, a period known as the All Hallows Octave, the Church offers a special set of indulgences that can be claimed for the dead:
- During the octave, the faithful can obtain one plenary indulgence each day for a departed soul by visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead.
- On All Souls Day in particular, another plenary indulgence can be obtained by visiting a church and praying an Our Father and the Creed.
- Additionally, a partial indulgence for a departed soul can be claimed on any day by reciting the Office of the Dead. In honor of this observance, we will pray together the Office of the Dead each day of the octave.
Every day, we pray for God’s blessing on all Exodus Men and their families. This prayer rightfully extends not only to the living but also to all those Exodus men who have died. In the last year, we have collected the names of more than 40 Exodus men who have gone before us, and entered them into our Book of the Dead so that we can remember and pray for our brothers in perpetuity. The Book of the Dead will be available on the app’s Home Tab throughout the month of November. If you know of any Exodus Man who has died, please send us his name, date of death, and a link to his obituary at support@exodus90.com.
The dead should not be forgotten. There is something deeply human and spiritual about maintaining our communion, in prayer, with those who have died. It is only through God that we can maintain this connection, as all who are in his grace live in him. If we live in relationship with God, we remain united with all others, living and deceased, who likewise abide in him. Throughout the Body of Christ, we express charity in our prayer for one another. Together, let us then remember, grieve, and express our hope in the Lord’s mercy as we strive to live a life worthy of our calling as sons of God, preparing to encounter him at the hour of our death.
November Plan of Life
During the month of November, we continue our baseline Plan of Life, incorporating any personal disciplines we feel will help us to continue making progress toward freedom and healing in Christ.
- Read the daily Reading & Reflection from the Gospel of Matthew
- 20 Minutes of Silent Prayer each day.
- Examine your Day.
- Regular Fraternity Meeting.
- Cold Shower Fridays.
- No Meat Fridays.
- Make one Holy Hour each week.
- Celebrate the Lord’s Day on Sundays & Feasts.
- Pray for the Dead
