November 2 is All Souls’ Day when we pray for our beloved dead whom we entrust to the loving and merciful embrace of the Lord. It is also an appropriate occasion to remember our understanding of the final purification we undergo when we die. This experience of purification is commonly called Purgatory.
It is not uncommon to hear people make statements such as: “I must follow my conscience.” “I must vote as my conscience tells me.” “I can’t do what you’re telling me because it is against my conscience.”
While on the plane returning to the Vatican after a demanding 12-day trip to Asia, Pope Francis answered questions from reporters traveling on the plane with him. When asked about the presidential election in the U.S., the Pope answered, “One must choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know. Everyone with a conscience should think on this and do it. To send migrants away, to leave them wherever you want, to leave them … it’s something terrible, there is evil there. To send away a child from the womb of the mother is an assassination, because there is life. We must speak about these things clearly.”
Growing up on the Gulf Coast has many blessings. We have a wonderful sense of “place.” Since my family has lived for generations in the Gulf Coast areas of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, I praise God for the roots this has given me and for the ties to our beautiful area.
However, growing up in this area has also given me an acquaintance with hurricanes. When I was a child, hurricanes were exciting. It was an adventure to bring everything in from the yard, board up windows and get time off from school during the recovery. In those days, we did not watch television for days as hurricanes formed. When a hurricane was about to hit, people went home or found shelter and “hunkered down.”
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Mt 28:19-20
The Gospel of Matthew ends with this Great Commission. The salvation of souls is the purpose of the Church. It is duty of each Christian. We are called to strive after our own salvation and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others so that they may seek their own salvation.