The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Reflecting on Romans 5: 5-11
Hope does not disappoint. I believe this with all my heart. And St. Paul believed it, even as he wrote to the many Christians in Rome who longed for his visit. Those same Christians may have suffered the same martyrdom as Paul, who had been a prisoner in Caesaria before being taken in chains to Rome.
From whence do those who suffer from painful illnesses, or devastating losses, summon the faith and joy to say with confidence that hope does not disappoint? Their witness to this most basic tenet of faith fills us with hope, too, and then our witness strengthens those around us.
This is the scripture to take to the cemeteries today as we remember our beloved dead. As you drive around, take in all the love of those who buried their precious loves there. We assent to St. Paul’s exhortation, and believe that all these believers found their hope realized, in ways they could never have imagined.
The souls of the just are in the hand of God. Imagine being held, carefully and lovingly, in the hand of God. And cast that vision over the cemetery, over all the graves, many of them hundreds of years old. Pray for each person there, and announce Paul’s words: Hope does not disappoint.
We don’t have to wait until death to experience hope satisfied. There is some tiny glimmer of hope for peace in the Middle East. There are victories over headaches, severe colds, and even once-fatal diseases. There are restored relationships that once seemed terminal. In each of these, we have reason to hope.
Hold fast to hope. It’s your entrée into the heart of God.
In what area of your life do you need the grace to hope?
Kathy McGovern ©2025