Before the time and opportunity pass me by, I had better respond to the request made that I have something to say about two days almost upon us - All Saints and All Souls (November 1 and 2.)
And while I did invite comments and even dialogue on any of my posts, I do not recall inviting requests. However, I guess if I want to keep my readers, I suppose I had better honor those requests and respect those making them.
So here goes - something about the Saints and the Souls.
While those among that number are as diverse as is humankind, they all do share one thing in common - they have all died.
Seriously!
I think our neighbors south of the border capture that reality well in their observance of the Day of the Dead.
To many, death seems so final, so total, so complete. They are gone. They have been taken from us. And to some death even means the end of the story, nothing more to say, nothing more to expect.
Recently I sat down with a planner from the funeral home I have selected for my final arrangements. I wanted to review and update what was on file. And I know that I surprised him when I said, "I absolutely forbid anything like 'a celebration of his life . . .'"
He admitted to being puzzled and asked why. To which I responded that I did not see this as the end of my story but rather the beginning. To speak of a "celebration of the life of . . ." sounds like the story has ended. But truth be told everything leading up to this moment was just the prelude.
Yes, the saints and the souls are dead to this life but they have, faith tells us, through the power of the Risen Jesus, entered into true life. Their stories are not ended but merely beginning.
And as they were connected to us in some ways in this life, so the connection endures after that passage called death.
Those folk who observe the Day of the Dead - they build home shrines and altars, place photographs of their deceased loved ones in these shrines, decorate with flowers and candles. They remember and celebrate that connection, that bond.
In ancient Rome people would, on the anniversary of the death of a loved one, visit the tomb and bring a picnic lunch with extra to share. At graveside they eat, drank, told stories and set a place for their deceased loved one. They sensed somehow that bond.
All Saints celebrates that bond as we are called to remember those we loved and even to remember stories of those we never even knew. Along with remembering we also speak with them and trust that they are aware of us and caring of us. There is that bond.
And on All Souls Day again we do some remembering and speak on behalf of and trust that they are also speaking on behalf of us. Again there is that bond.
These two days remind us that there is among us, our loved ones and, indeed, among all of us a bond. That bond is officially called the communion of saints - in heaven, in waiting and here on earth
That bond is stronger than death itself.
That bond keeps us united even when death seems to fracture us.
There is a bond that death cannot break.
And that bond has a name.
That bond is love.
And God understands well the strength of that bond.
God understands because God IS love!
When we remember and celebrate the bond that unites us all, we remember and celebrate God who is the Source of true unity.
That is the blessing and richness of All Saints Day and All Souls Day.
No comments:
Post a Comment