All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day

"You bring nothing inside
You take nothing out
Leave a golden trail
In the old earth house"

With this quote by Friedrich Rückert, I think on All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day, especially in gratitude to the people who made my life bright and joyful through their existence, who made difficult and dark hours easier through their goodness, their sympathy, their encouragement.

It is like the mild yet golden light of the autumn sun when it shines on colourful deciduous trees and makes them glow.

I think of people who have already gone ahead into eternity and I am sure nothing will be lost or end what they in any way gave to this world in warmth and light.

And we may know that our dearly departed are in the kingdom of happiness, love and light with our God, who loves us infinitely, i.e. time never ends.

All Saints' Day is thus a paschal feast, a feast full of rejoicing. Hallelujah.

Sr Elisabeth Hofmann