As November ends, in the Catholic Times' Eyes of the Believers column, a parish priest gives his thoughts on a visit to a cemetery for priests and martyrs of the diocese.
In memory of those who have died, November is a time to visit the cemeteries to pray for the dead to grow in faith, it is easy to become lazy amid the COVID-19 situation. They walked through a colorfully colored forest to the cemetery. When the wind blew, the dry leaves clinging to the branches fall one by one in front of their feet.
One day when he was in elementary school, he was overwhelmed with sadness as he thought about how he would live if his parents suddenly passed away and he was alone. Maybe that's why he always felt anxious, thinking that his parent would get old. They both have died. Yes, we all die someday "It is appointed the men die once" (Heb 9:27) Birth has an order, but death has no order.
"My child shed tears over the dead and intone the lament to show your deep grief...Do not abandon your heart to grief, drive it away, and bear your own end in mind. Do not forget, there is no going back; you cannot help the dead, and you will harm yourself. Remember that his fate will also be yours; for him, it was yesterday for you today. With the departed dead, let memory fade; rally your courage, once the soul has left. (Sirach 38: 16a 20-23)
Finally, they arrived at the graveyard. He prayed to the Lord for the eternal rest of the many senior priests who passed away at the end of their lives and the junior priests who were not able to bloom properly dying at a young age and being embraced by God. What is death to a believer? Is it the end of life? Or is it a new beginning?
The ancient Greeks considered death as the end of life without any more hope. So they took the concept of 'the city of the dead and called the cemetery where the dead were buried a necropolis. Christians, on the other hand, regarded death as a state of temporary sleep to be awakened soon at the call of the risen Lord. Thus, the cemetery where the dead believers were buried was called a crematorium, taking the concept of a "bedroom, resting place."
In the New Testament, we can see that death is understood as a state of sleep. "Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and died. The tombs were opened and the bodies of many saints who were sleeping were revived. (Matthew 27,52) "Jesus said "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I will go and wake him up. Then the disciples said to Jesus, "Lord if he has fallen asleep, he will wake up soon."(John 11:9a.11-12) "Lord, do not hold this sin against them," he cried. When Stephen had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:60)
Man, a creature made of clay, is called by God through death to himself, the source of life. "Death is the end of man's earthly pilgrimage, of the time of grace and mercy which God offers him to work out his earthly life in keeping with the divine plan, and to decide his ultimate destiny. When "the single course of our earthly life" is completed, we shall not return to other earthly lives: "It is appointed for men to die once." There is no "reincarnation" after death."(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1013).
Shouldn't we think and act as if we will die today to prepare well for death, which is the end of our one-time earthly life? "In him, the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned, that those
saddened by the certainty of dying might
be consoled by the promise of immortality to come.
"Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.” (Funeral Mass Roman Missal)
