Today
the holy mother of the Church celebrates All Souls Day, a day when we remember our
loved ones who have passed away. Today is also a day when many will travel
miles to visit the graves of their loved one. I asked a parishioner why and he
has no answer. All he said is I visit, pray burn candles and put flowers on the
grave and come back.
I
too have visited graves and blessed them. And what I saw not only shocked me
but also made me firm on penning down something to educate our people. At times
we do thing without understanding what we are doing and why we are doing. So
here are few changes that we could implement in our lives.
1.
It’s
good to visit the graves of our loved ones on occasions like All souls day and
may be Death anniversary. If you ask me, I will say “I don’t go.” Why? I simply say, I believe
in what I profess when I say the Creed, “I
believe in the resurrection of the dead.” Our bodies which were made of mud
will turn to mud. “Thou are dust and to
dust thou shall return.” So what’s there in the grave is just mud. Our
souls are with God, sent to the place that HE thinks best for us. “I am
going ahead of you to prepare a place for you so that where I am, you too will
be.” John 14:3.
So rather than running to the grave every
now and then, spend some time doing what your loved ones loved doing. So if you’re
loved ones liked praying you too spend some time praying every day. My parents
loved beginning the day with the Eucharist and ending the day with the Rosary.
My sentiment then is to imitate them by doing just the same.
2.
Burning
Candle on the grave. Our world is not the same as it was before. Pollution
levels have gone up so much, that our children and grandchildren may not see
this beautiful place called earth. Or they may have to move around with oxygen cylinders
on their backs. In our strive to build a green dioceses lets use less candles.
In that place I would invite you to spend that money in planting more trees or
give that money to an orphanage. Burning candles on the grave will not do any
good to the departed souls. Instead offer masses for them, pray for the lost
souls and those who have no one to pray for them. So next time you think of burning a candle
think twice. The same pollution could kill all of us.
3.
Flowers
on the grave. It’s nice to see all the graves decorated on this day. One better
than the other. In fact I sometime wonder is there a secret competition going
on here. Who’s grave is best decorated. Correct if I am wrong. If that’s not
the case then why do we spend so much money no flowers for a person who cannot
see it nor smell it. When the person was alive we probably never gave them
flowers. So why now? To show whom? Put flowers in the lives of the persons when
they are alive, not on their graves when they can’t see nor smell. Love then,
spend time with them, talk to them, make them happy when they are alive not
flowers on their graves. You do it and teach your kids to do the same so that
when you grow old they will do that same for you.
Our
world has changed. We are all educated now. We know what’s good and what’s bad.
So like educated people let’s bring about some change in our lives.
God
bless you all.
