REMEMBER OUR DEAD
A Catholic Cemetery is more than a
place for the burial of the dead. It represents the continuation, even in
death, of the harmony and spiritual alliance that makes all Catholics members
of one great family, thereby constituting it actually a family ground or plot.
Consequently, the Church has become
through the ages the zealous guardian of burial practices that have developed
from its very essence.
There is no more consoling doctrine in
the Church than that which teaches us we are all members of the Mystical Body
of Christ for time and eternity. The Saints in heaven are our friends and our
intercessors. Nor can we forget the souls in purgatory; they are members of the
same Church, and we can assist them by our prayers and good works.
The month of May is set aside for
remembering our dead. The Church, however, insists that we do not forget our
dead, even if we were so inclined. Christians were early recognized from the
fact that they love one another. This charity passes beyond the grave. Those
that we loved in life, we continue to love in death.
Because our bodies are temples of the
Holy Spirit, the Church guards them palously, even as we await the
resurrection. Catholic Cemeteries are sacred places, truly holy cities of the
dead and our Church stands guard over our final resting-places. At the
cemetery, we surround ourselves with a world of saints depicting the goodness
of God and the spiritual significance of life.
The Church intends that we should
visit the graves of our beloved dead. Such visits keep them and their needs in
mind. Their needs are prayers that eternal light may shine upon them.
Let us learn then that the energy of
our faith enables us to live constantly with the memories of our loved ones
that we will always have to cherish.
