Autumn, Slowing Down, & Death

 It's now the middle of November and we're getting close to the holiday season, which is my favorite season! But before we get to all that, (and we will get to that-because even though it happens to be my favorite time of year, I have a love/hate relationship with everything that the Thanksgiving to Christmas season entails) I want to shift my focus to the season that we're in. 

This season, which is autumn and currently the month of the Holy Souls, seems to be forgotten somewhere in between going to the pumpkin patch, and cooking the turkey. Which I think proves how important it is to order our lives around the liturgical calendar. It's so easy to forget what the world doesn't talk about.

my grandparents' picture in our living room
 for the month of November

I've also been thinking about some of the elderly people I've worked for. As they get closer to the end of their lives, they slow down. They've lived their Spring and Summer, and now It's Autumn.

With that, I've noticed, comes one of two things. Either they realize they're reaching death and that they must slow down, accept the help of their loved ones, and prepare for death, or they hold on to their past, and their control on things, and worry about how people see them in their fragile state. They continue rushing and striving to do it all themselves.

The most beautiful example I've seen of the first, was the death of a holy priest I used to sit with in his old age. By his peaceful demeanor, one could see he was ready. He sat quietly waiting for the Lord to take him. He graciously accepted the help of his caretakers every day, and surrounded by the ones who loved him most, he took his last breath. 

I was there in that room and it made me see that that is the way I want to die; with a heart this is prepared. That is how I want to be when I come to the "Autumn" in my life. The only way we can prepare ourselves is if we slow down enough to recognize what we need to do to be ready. We must relinquish our vice and worldly things to prepare for our death and eternal life. 

Here we are in this beautiful season of change. The foliage is stunning. The weather is cool and crisp. The bugs hide away and the animals finish preparing for winter. This month is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory and the liturgical year is almost over. 

Everything in nature and in The Church is pointing towards slowing down, thinking about death, looking outward to see that everything here is temporary, and looking inward to see our unworthiness.

To me it seems like a prelude to Advent, which is (supposed to be) a season of hopefulness for our savior; a patient, prayerful, pondering, hopefulness. 

As the world speeds up in preparation for the holidays, I intend to slow down. I know that it will be hard, because after all, there is a lot to do in the next month and I'm already getting excited. However, when we lived Lent to the best of our ability, Easter was so much more rewarding and joyful! I want Christmas to be same; not just about the happiness of family time and presents on Christmas, but the joy that comes from God and the reward that comes from the four weeks of waiting and praying and growing in holiness. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. For now, It's time to pray for the Holy Souls and think about the state of our own.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Your perpetual light shine upon them.
And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Gina💕