Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. "Come to me all you who are burdened': the burden of death is made light by the Lord's Cross and Resurrection

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

There is no burden greater than the death of a loved one.  But as great as this burden is for you and me to bear, greater by far is the heavy weight of the knowledge that everyone must meet and God and undergo the particular judgment that awaits each of us.  Love for the dead, then, must take this heavy weight into account, and express itself in heartfelt and regular prayer for the faithful departed.

 "For my yoke is easy and my burden light."

The weight of the cross which we bear as we face our own death or the death of loved ones is made easy through the mercy of Christ who dies on the Cross for love of us.  His divine graces flow abundantly to us as we approach in sorrow for our sins.  The Mass is the meeting place between the mercy of the Cross and the repentant sinner who knows he must die and take account of his sins.

"The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them."

Thus we are able to confidently approach the throne of God in every holy Mass, in prayer for all who have died, commending them to the infinite mercy of God.