ALL SOULS DAY

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.