Nov 2 - Election & All Souls Day

Somehow it seems appropriate that Election Day and All Souls Day coincide...death, purgatory and politics make splendid bedfellows.  Yesterday, November 1, All Saints Day, we commemorated those faithful saints who have gone before us...who have fought the good fight and finished the course and whose spirits dwell with Christ until the Final Resurrection. 

In the Roman Catholic calendar, this day is followed by All Souls Day, wherein we are to pray for those who didn't quite make it all the way into heaven and are awaiting redemption in Purgatory.  If there were such a place, I would expect it to be heavily populated with politicians.

Since I don't believe the doctrine of purgatory, there are no celebratory rituals I can commend to you.  However, one of the traditional prayers offered on behalf of the dead by those who DO believe the doctrine, is from the Psalms and is therefore a perfectly valid prayer to offer...on behalf of myself and others yet living:

Psalm 130

A Song of Ascents

Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice!

O, let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint.

If Thou, Lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss,

O, Lord, who may abide it?

For there is mercy with Thee

Therefore shalt Thou be feared.

I look for the Lord, my soul doth wait for Him;

In His Word is my trust.

My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch;

I say before the morning watch.

O, Israel, trust in the Lord,

For with the Lord there is mercy

And with Him is plenteous redemption.

And He shall redeem Israel from all his sins.

Once again...let me commend to you the work of Gloria Dei Cantores.  Here is a sound byte of Psalm 130 from the album, Thou Art My Refuge.

Happy All Souls Day.  Now go celebrate Election Day by sending some of those crooked politicians to their own personal purgatory!