Christ the King Parish in McFarland, Wisconsin shared a note from the pastor on the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. 

Rev. Stephen Brunner wrote that the celebration of All Souls’ Day is an excellent opportunity to remember the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord — a series of events otherwise known as the Paschal Mystery. 

“I’d like to thank so many of you who sent in the names of your family members to be remembered on All Souls’ Day. This remembrance was an initiative of Fr. Steve Smith, and I plan to continue to celebrate masses in remembrance of our beloved dead,” Rev. Brunner wrote. 

We read that the Jewish people were commanded to sacrifice a lamb in order to let the Angel of Death pass over their homes. 

“In a similar way, Jesus takes upon Himself the responsibilities of being the new Passover lamb,” Rev. Brunner wrote. “He offers himself as a sacrifice for the human race to set us free from sin and death. While the original Passover lamb sets us free from slavery, Jesus, the new Passover lamb, sets us free from sin and death.”

Our baptism is what allows us to participate fully as the sons and daughters of God. It follows, then, that we must reflect on the price with which we have been brought into the love of God the Father. 

“Bishop Hying has written about the Paschal Mystery in his monthly formation newsletter,” Rev. Brunner wrote. “I encourage you to read it and to reflect upon it as we remember our faithful departed and look forward to life everlasting.”

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We live through his death and if we believe in his redemptive work, we shall never have to fear death. 

Let us never forget the price that was paid for our redemption.