During this month of the Holy Souls, I would like to continue to look at the funeral rites in the Catholic Church and in our parish. A very important item, what is to be done regarding the body of the deceased. In the not so recent past, there was only one option and that was to bury the deceased in consecrated ground. Today, there is the added option of cremation followed by burial or entombment in a mausoleum. The added option of cremation was done mainly out of consideration for the cost of funeral and burial expenses.
The Church has always had very definite instructions as far as burial goes because the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which will rise again when Jesus returns. Jesus Himself was buried in a tomb. The practice of cremation is a custom that was popular in the ancient Greek, Roman, and other civilizations. Cremation was never a part of the Jewish tradition. In the early Church and down through many centuries, cremation became a way for non-believers to defy the resurrection of the body by burning the body and scattering the ashes. This must never be the motivation for cremation. The Church prefers that cremation occur only after the funeral so that the body can be present for the funeral rites.
It is not permissible to have the cremation and then take the ashes home. The ashes are to be buried or entombed in a mausoleum again recognizing the sanctity of the human body created by God and meant to live forever in the kingdom of God. We are created by God with a body and a soul and that is who we are and that is who we are meant to be for all eternity. The body is not just a piece of baggage that we get rid of when we die, it is who we are. We need to have great respect for the human body as a great gift and creation of God. We need to be very careful how we treat our bodies in life and in death.
Concerning the eulogy that some often request to be given at the funeral Mass; the Church clearly teaches us that a eulogy does not belong to the funeral Mass, but it is better given at the wake, at the grave, or at the gathering following a funeral. A homily is to be given by a bishop, priest, or deacon at the usual time. The homily is a time for the priest or deacon to reflect on the scriptures that have been chosen for the funeral Mass. This would include reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by which He won for us the gift of eternal life. The scriptures offer us a great deal of comfort and strength in our time of sadness by reminding us of the hope that God holds out to us of everlasting life with Him.
After Communion, our thoughts should always be centered in Christ and His gift of Himself to us in this most holy Sacrament. This is not the time to talk about the life of any human being. The funeral Mass, as any Mass, is a celebration of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Mass is about Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. The funeral Mass is a time for us to present the dead to Christ and commend them to almighty God for a merciful judgment. It is a time for us to pray that the sins of our loved ones may be forgiven so that they can share totally in God’s life and love.
This is why we have certain readings that families can choose from in preparing a funeral Mass for a loved one. There is a first reading from the Old Testament, a second reading from the New Testament, and the Gospel reading. The same is true of the hymns as they should express our faith in the resurrection of the dead and the new life Jesus has won for us in His own suffering, death, and resurrection. You can take a look at these readings and hymns by going to our parish web site and clicking on the Sacraments tab. There is also a form at the site that one can complete indicating these choices as well as other information concerning a funeral Mass. Again, the readings and hymns are about God and our relationship with Him and not about one’s favorite readings and hymns. This is all meant to help us plan and celebrate a funeral Mass that will be prayerful and give worship to God.
Our second-grade children will be on a little retreat next Sunday as part of their preparation for their First Reconciliation. Please keep them in your prayers as they experience the love and forgiveness of Jesus for the first time.
