Word Wide Open: The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (C) - 11/2/25

First Reading (Wisdom 3:1-9)

A reading from the Book of Wisdom.

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,

    and no torment shall touch them.

They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

    and their passing away was thought an affliction

    and their going forth from us, utter destruction.

But they are in peace.

For if before men, indeed, they be punished,

    yet is their hope full of immortality;

chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,

    because God tried them

    and found them worthy of himself.

As gold in the furnace, he proved them,

    and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

In the time of their visitation they shall shine,

    and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;

they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,

    and the Lord shall be their King forever.

Those who trust in him shall understand truth,

    and the faithful shall abide with him in love:

because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,

    and his care is with his elect.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How do we know who is heaven with God?

Second Reading (Romans 6:3-9)

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans. 

Brothers and sisters:

Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus 

were baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, 

so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead 

by the glory of the Father, 

we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, 

we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.

We know that our old self was crucified with him, 

so that our sinful body might be done away with, 

that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.

For a dead person has been absolved from sin.

If, then, we have died with Christ,

we believe that we shall also live with him.

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;

death no longer has power over him.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why did Jesus dying on the cross defeat death?

Gospel (John 6:37-40)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

Jesus said to the crowds:

“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,

and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,

because I came down from heaven not to do my own will

but the will of the one who sent me.

And this is the will of the one who sent me,

that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,

but that I should raise it on the last day.

For this is the will of my Father,

that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him

may have eternal life,

and I shall raise him on the last day.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What did the Father will for Jesus? How do we conform ourselves to God's will?