Divine Mercy is.
Generous.
Hopeful.
Powerful.
Compassionate.
Glorious.
I am.
A pilgrim of mercy.
Burying the dead is a sacred and timeless act that is present in every culture and civilization. Burial practices and beliefs vary widely across cultures, reflecting unique perspectives on life, death, and the afterlife. The Egyptians buried their pharaohs in pyramids full of food, drink, books, gold, furniture, jewelry, and anything they thought the pharaohs might need in the afterlife. Ordinary Egyptians were buried in the fetal position, which was a symbol of rebirth, and food, drink, and other material possessions were also placed in their graves. Wealthy Vikings were buried in ships with weapons, treasures, and sometimes animals or slaves believed to help them journey to Valhalla. The Toraja people of Indonesia often kept the deceased in their home for months or years, while families saved for elaborate funeral ceremonies. In Tibet, bodies are left on mountaintops to be consumed by vultures, symbolizing the impermanence of life and the cycle of nature. The Mayan people buried their dead with jade or corn in their mouths, symbolizing wealth or sustenance for the afterlife. The Jewish people have a beautiful tradition known as Sitting Shiva. The shiva period is the seven days of mourning that begin immediately after the burial. During these days, the immediate family of the deceased stays in their home where their friends, family, and neighbors come together to support them, bringing food and solace.
As Catholics, our beliefs around burying the dead are rooted in the dignity of the human body, our faith in the resurrection, and the hope of eternal life. The Catholic Church teaches that the human body is sacred because it is a temple of the Holy Spirit and a vessel of God's creation. We believe in the resurrection of the body. At the end of time, the body will be reunited with the soul and transformed into a glorified state. Catholics believe in praying for the souls of the deceased, especially those in purgatory, to help purify them and hasten their entry into heaven. And it is especially important to note that our burial rituals include prayers imploring God to pour out his boundless mercy on the soul of the departed. So what happens when we die? The Catholic Church teaches based on scripture and tradition that when a person dies, their soul separates from their body and experiences particular judgment by God where their eternal destination is determined based on their faith and deeds during their earthly life. The options are heaven, hell, and purgatory. The church teaches heaven is for those who who have lived a life of faith and virtue and are free from sin.
Purgatory is for those who have died in a state of grace, but still need purification for lesser sins or attachments. And hell is for those who have rejected God and died in a state of mortal sin. Endless debate surrounds these matters, but some things are logical, rational, and beyond debate. For example, we believe that heaven is eternal union with God. Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings. The state of supreme definitive happiness is what the catechism says. Most people don't have much trouble believing in heaven, but lots of people question the existence of purgatory. But if heaven exists, purgatory must exist.
If something impure is added to something that is pure, it all becomes impure. If you take a single drop of motor oil and place it in a bottle of 100% pure virgin olive oil, it is no longer pure olive oil. The purification of purgatory is necessary, because as the Bible teaches, nothing impure can enter heaven. If this logic holds true, purgatory exists, and the people in purgatory need our prayers. This logic is also supported by the Scriptures. It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins. That's from Maccabees. Every day we read and hear about famous people who have died.
I always have the same thought, "I wonder if he has anyone to pray for him. I wonder if she has anyone to pray for her." And then I find myself thrown into spontaneous prayer for that person's soul. And as we discuss the corporal work of mercy, of burying the dead, I feel compelled to discuss something that I witness at too many funerals. People say things like, "Well, he is with God now," or, "She's in a better place," or, "I'm sure he's up there with God, looking down on us and smiling." All of these statements assume one thing, that the person we are burying is in heaven with God.
This is a massive disservice to the people we love. Here's the problem. We don't pray for people in heaven because people in heaven don't need our prayers. But people in purgatory do need our prayers. So if we assume someone is in heaven who isn't in heaven, it is unlikely we will pray for that person. And that is tragic. I don't want anyone making that assumption when I die. I expect I will need a long stay in purgatory, and I'm going to need all the prayers I can get. An enormous part of burying the dead is praying for the dead. And they may need our prayers long after the day we lay them to rest.
Mercy is always an invitation to a better life in this life and in the next life. Pray for your ancestors. When you hear someone has died, pray for them, especially those who may not have anyone to pray for them. Mercy is love reaching out to misery. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. There are many ways to honor the dead. Attending a funeral is the most common. Each work of mercy benefits those we serve, but they also benefit us. Burying the dead prevents us from looking away from one of life's central facts. We are just pilgrims passing through this world. Each funeral leads us to examine our own lives. Death is a reminder to live life to the fullest. Trust, surrender, believe, receive.
50 million American Catholics have stopped going to mass over the past 30 years. If you think that is sad and tragic, I'm right there with you. If you think they have no idea what they are missing out on, I'm right there with you. And if you wish we could change that for future generations, our children and our grandchildren, I'm right there with you. Dynamic Catholic is incredibly excited to announce that we're creating a game-changing program that will transform the way Catholics, young and old, experience the mass forever. Nobody who experiences this program will ever say mass is boring ever again. Help us eradicate mass is boring from the Catholic vernacular. Click the button below, choose your welcome gift, and become a Dynamic Catholic Ambassador today. Have a great day and remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.
Eternal God.
In whom mercy is endless.
And the treasury of compassion inexhaustible.
Look kindly upon us.
And increase your mercy in us.
That in difficult moments we might not despair.
Nor become despondent.
But with great confidence.
Submit ourselves to your holy will.
Which is love and mercy itself.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
See you tomorrow.
Thank you, Ambassadors.
You are changing the world.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Hey, Ralph. One of the best ways to be a pilgrim of mercy is to collaborate with God to create holy moments. So I figured while we have a couple of minutes, you could inspire our audience. So tell me, what is today's Holy Moment Challenge?
It is.
Pray for the soul of someone who passed away.
