Dies Irae

Day of wrath, day that

will dissolve the world into burning coals,

as David bore witness with the Sibyll.

Such is the translation of the first line of the Hymn Poem Dies Irae. It's an important first line as you see a mingling of both the Jewish and Pagan traditions that were said to testify to the truth of the Christian Narrative and especially the Christian understanding of the eschaton. A full translation with Latin and English texts can be found in the Franciscan Archive.

But what's the point of posting an image of the last judgement and a hymn proclaiming the end. No I've not gone off my rocker like many cultist and fundamentalists - it's simple and not at all as frightening as the world would make it, today is All Souls Day.

Today is the day that as a Catholic we turn our attentions to those faithful departed who have run the race as St. Paul says and who now find, we hope and believe, their rest in God. Yesterday the Church celebrated all the Saints of God whom by their well documented examples lived exemplary lives and who we believe have achieved the beatific vision. Today we celebrate and commemorate the lives of countless folks for whom no day is given, perhaps no book has been written but whom none the less have their names and stories written upon our hearts.

So today we pause and in worship of God we recall them, friends and family alike and thank God for them in our lives and in strong hope to join them in the Kingdom of Heaven and ask them to pray for us as we pray in remembrance of them.

So for whom do you pray for today?

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