CHRISTIAN BURIAL

New Zealand Tablet, 8 November 1906, Page 11

CHRISTIAN BURIAL

. (By the Bevi J. -Golden, Kaikouba)

.(Continued/,from last week.) . _ What the custom 1 "was respecting the burial of "the dead, in the age \of the early Doctors of the Church and what their belief, .^regarding a middle, state, -we shall .glean"lJEfom a,.Jew, apt quotations. St. Augustine records the usage and' faith up to his time. i.The whole Church,' writes this illustrious saint "and doctor, • instructed by the tradition of its Fathers, takes care that, at the part of the Sacrifice in which the dead are mentioned, a prayer and an - - oblation are made for - all those who have departed this life in the communion of

tlie B6dy of Jesus Christ.' - The history of ; the age in question shows? that the dead were rburied" in consecrated ground,, that the burial was accompanied with the chanting of psalms "arid hymns breathing /the aroma of hope and*- joy respecting the ' condition of' the departed ; "that funeral, orations came into vogue ; that the" Holy Sacrifice was offered .j>n the ,day. of, the. obsequies, and repeated on „t he third, .ninth, and fortieth days) and that anniversaries of a solemn nature were observed in .memory and for the relief of the' deceased; St. Isidore, of Spain, is clear and emphatic "regarding - the honor paid to the departed. He testifies to the universal, usage of offering prayer and sacrifice^ for ' their relief,—' Because the oblation . of_ the Sacrifice and prayer for the repose of the faithful departed 1 are made in the Church, throughout the 1 world, we believe that the custom has come from \the Apostles^ The Church observes' it in every place.. , If the Church did not believe that the faithful might .thus, obtain pardon . for their sins, it would not distribute alms for the rer lief of their souls, or offer the Sacrifice to God for them. Once more. The illustrious Bishop, St.- Cyril . of - Jerusalem, sis -.no less^ emphatic-, and~ex#licit toucfi- ; ing the; charity. and. mercy shown those who' had -died in the,; communion of the Church. . 'JWe .pray for ourparents'and our bishops, and in "general for "the 'souls of our departed ones,, in the 'firm hope- that- they receive . great _ consolation irorh the -prayers -that are. offered for them in the holy and. awful Sacrifice. '-,, ■_•. .'_. .---»- It. has" been- shown that the , reverent burial of -the ' dead has ever been regarded . - -, \ A Sacred Duty. ..-_. .„ - I It was observed by "the faithful in the days of the venerable Patriarchs. It was observed by the Jews "up to the coming of the" Messiah. - * Joseph and- Nicodemus embalmed the body of. our Lord and > laid -it tenderly in in the -tomb with the customary, .. honors. -The -same I usage continued -in the. , Apostolic age, and even undpr. ~ the ten persecutions inthe period of the Roman 'Caesars. The Catacombs and the early Fathers bear ; simple testimony to the same. The faithful iqf ,the Old-C^is- . pensjation and the followers of . Christ have- mov^d ~- ; in t the' same lines. There "has "been reyer%pgrhuria^^^the A -- dead, which -has -ever been- regarded! jt-w^rk of ||i§ercy i . and 1 charity. The Angel Raphael testified to the|^vihe • acceptance of Tobias for the sepulture-^^the|i|BfijLof J \ his people. - A solid and immovable ;hg^^n- th^§fflKure| * resurrection was the underlying ground r :|fßg?ail M I know that my -Redeemer liveth^yexelaimed ~ the [ heroic Job ; ' and in the last day I shaHrrise out of - the " • earth ; and-I shall be. clothed again with my^skin, .and - in my flesh I shall see my God. - .. . This* my hopefis laid, up in my bosom.' , . „. . . -. - - 5 And the Prophet lsaias foretells the resurrection in ■ the . twenty-sixth chapter of his 'book. -'* Thy '■ dead * men. shall live: my -slain -shall live andgive praise, ye that dwell , in- the- dust. 'lAEzeohiel and • Daniel "announced the same doctrine. The New Testament .abounds with it. The four Evangelists announce' : it. ,S,t. Paul follows them. " In the beautiful"' dialogue . ; between* Jesus and Martha respecting Lazarus we'read: - :'. Jqsus- saith to her: Thy .brother shall rise again. Martha ,. saith to him : , I V.now that .he shall rise again ;in the resurrection on the "last day-. 1 - Let these brief passages suffice. r Those who have - died in peace with God and in communion with His were the. temples of the Holy -Ghost, and are/ ; destined to a glorious resurrection!- -Christ - their \ Chief, to Whom 'all power is -given in- heaven and on * earth, 1 has .triumphed over death and -the -grave. One day He will summon , all * the generations of mankind. -to the Valley of Josstp'het, where" • .-' • The General Judgment - _- ;is to take place. The voice of the angel andT "the ; trumpet shall" be heard and obeyed' throughout the limits of this planet. Then shall the . Church, the elect" '" of God, " exult in her triumph and, in her final glory. ' Come, ye blessed of My Father ', possess .you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the r world? (Matt, xxv., 34). - - -r ■ - -" ' - ' The Catholic, Church reveres her departed members. ; The body is honored with solemn and becoming obsequies. Nevertheless, the poor corpse must return to the dust, from which the mighty hand, of God had . formed \" and fashioned it. .Yet this corpse is the" seed that .shall produce s the glorified and immortal body, ' whereof V 1 St. Paul .discourses so eloquently..,.. - - - .; - The soul, however, is .the ..principal-: object of .the. Church's solicitude. The soul, is, beveic t ,Jost sight ■of until it" has possessed the' beatific v visibh.- ' Purgatory * is within the reach of -Mass, prayer, almsdeeds, 'and in-, "dulgences. The abundant charity of the Church-over-flows' to the holy souls that are enduring a process of purification for- their final" bliss. TSh'e Restrains not her grace from -the dead. • She heai'kens r 'toVtheir pleading voice : ' Have pity -on me, have pity on me, -at least you my friends, for the hand of the Lord: is upon me.'

She is the inheritor .and custodian of a doctrine of a middle state . after death. ' The same will-. she "perpetuate for , ever by her teaching and _ meroiruf imnistra- " tions. ,T<he . souls in Purgatory- are too dear to the heart of God and His Church' to' be forgotten for ' one * single day. How consoling the thought that 'they are "'" ' within the reach i-Of succor ! How cheering thecreflectron that, we can contribute to their'- happiness ! 'Andthis we can do .without loss, to ' ourselves'; nay, with y great and ever-increasing and ever-accruing gain '- in exact proportion to the value of our services to the suffering souls. 'Blessed are the merciful ; for they shall -obtain mercy' (Matt. v. 7). And no mercy ' equals that extended to those who are out of the way of helping themselves. But never a soul in Purgatorvbut is helped by. Holy Church. Such is- the Will' of God, Whose . justice must punish only to reward, and Whose' mercy places -in His -Church .an infinite store of Divine 1 treasures for her living and- departed members. - How wonderful the- providence ot God for His people ! How meftable His bounty and His , mercy ! How He enriches the Church with the- merits- ofv Christ for the living and the dead ! -- •' ■ = » Solemn and touching indeed are the public rites and ceremonies . for the departed soul. The body is reverently laid- in the Church, 'where it had been regenerated and sanctified by the life-giving Sacraments. The draping of the- altar and the catafalque denotes' the sorrow of friends, while the lights that -surround' the corpse denote the. light of faith and. grace, which illumined the departed- soul. The mournful dirge awak- " ens feelings of sorrow blended with prayer for the soul now in eternity. The coffin and all its surroundings are symbols of death-Vhe penalty of sin. They are eloquent reminders of the universal decree of death which has passed dyer all mankind. _ The offices of the Church, the tears and heartfelt prayers of the congregation, the respectful demeanor of the assemblage, and the brief address of the , officiating priest— all are in fine harmony with the solemnity of the occasion. How becoming for the devoted Christian to return' once X^XSSSS^t God ' ele the grav * hasbecome To the great solace and edification of the pious mourners, the celebrant chants for the departed soul • Deliver me, 0 Lord, from eternal death, in that dreadl ful day, when the heavens and the earth are to be moved when thou shalt come to judge the world by rS nf 51185 118 "P**"* PWr: ' Grfntr.him eternal rW ° Lord and. let perpetual light shine on him" lne funeral procession has reacned the crave *At the entrance stands the " piles t to receive the remains and recite aloud : < May the angels conduct thee into ' paradise ; may the martyrs receive thee at thy coming and lead thee into the holy.city of Jerusalem; may the choir of angels receive thee, and mayst thou have ' eternal rest with Lazarus, who was formerly poor:' At the Tomb the corpse is sprinkled with blessed water ; the cruci- - fix is m evidence .at the 'head of the coffin- "solemn silence prevails, except, for the voice of the celebrant who chants aloud : 'I am the Resurrection 2nd the ' Life : he that believes in Me, though he be dead shall Z^r evervo » c that lives and believes in Me shall HcVCr 'QIC Over the open, grave, is now intoned that honeful and triumphant canticle 0f ... Zachary :.' Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and U ' e^. th ' e +li red e mpti i 0i 0 r f H , is P*°Pl°-' And y o?ce d mo?el To gave the knowledge of salvation to His people • for the remission of .their sins.' The entire canSe is • an eloquent and strenuous outburst of -gratitude from Ph^f art T f l 0. wlll S rir iU * love awd i"«niined by tSe-Holy ghost. .It is replete with faith - and .. love md trust How appropriate here at the open- grave in the hear ' ing of the hushed multitude, and at ' the!' final^vifew of the corpse! It takes the .skug out of grim Eh and is a song of triumph over the gravef wMch Tmust one day give.up its • risen, tenant. It Slfevates e?e?v heart and awakens the finest religious sentiments It S, l^ 3 - 11 ,^ 111 '„1 10^ in ' the sllva W o the dear - departed 'Salvation,' 4t proclaims, « f rorii . our ene- ■ mies!;. the coming-, of !«the Orient 'from-on hijr? •■ l lt™^ ot th « Primeval, promise-made unto * Abrah-am— ' the redemption of His people ' \ Then follow the ' Kyries,' which -ate so many cries to the Lord* -aiid. his Christ for mercy. The « Pater Noster ' is once more recited, followed by the toS - ing. supplication:- "From the' gate-of helh defive? Ms soul, O Lord: May he rest in peace.' The fuAeSI rites aptly conclude^ with the usual grayer for Hoy Souls m- general': ' May his soul, and all tht aod! °l?\:^.> depar^ d ' thfoueh " ***** o? ■

So- far so good, respecting the obsequies of the exemplary Christian. But" f here? springs vp A a, sad thought,' - •which ..demands "cleax '"and/strenuous" expression." 'This " respects the ' : • - '■ " i . ■•■ Graceless "Deaths of some persons. There is no, denying ' ijtxe indifferent lives of some. They fail in realising .ideal bfr. good and sound Christians. The honored name' of Catholic they^ retain to the - end. -Qthers were known., to 'be members of the Church long^years „ago» Some! were suspected, to be Catholics, , when ..themselves ,' and the Colony- were fewer in , years - and .'more godly than , in advanced age. Persons of this description, in gen-"- , eral, usually _die without priest or. Sacraments. Sometimes the death is quite sudden. Possibly the, sudden death is a -divine visitation on -a sinful : life,. Many "'. : suoh untoward endings have come under • pur -notice. ' 1 Many invitations to repentance, had- been, given, many r warnings. Divine Providence -and -His ministers had been long since calling- to grace arid reconciliation. . i But sin <and worldliness prevailed. „'T ime, enough:/ . Someday I'll do better. I'm no worse than others.' i Such were the vague promises of some. Others resent- . ' ed all interference with them. They were satisfied with their state, or pretended that . they ■ were. They '. hearkened not to the divine warning :. -i Delay not t'oi : be converted to the Lord, and defer- it .not from day J to -day..' And once more : ',The night, cometh when - no man can work.' The -dreadful words of St. John ' in his Revelations- had no meaning- for ..them V * And. | whosoever was not found 'written in the book of j -life • was cast into the pool of fire.' They did not fearGod, therefore they neglected everything appertaining to salvation. They had long neglected to* adorn the soul with "sanctifying grace, and. now, when- .the sud-, den summons of death has come, they. know. not how to say : ', Father, unto Thy hands I commend ni"y> • spirit.' Holy- Job proclaims that 'the life of man- , upon earth is a warfare.' But this spiritual, combat they did not wage. Rather,- -, they resigned themselves ' willing slaves -to the triple enemy of their immortal souls. They 1 know not now the language of the-Psalm-ist : ' When my strength shall fail, doCnot Thou forsake -me.' Their -death, sad. .to- say, .seems a reflex of ,-.. their lives. Priest and prayer- and Sacraments are con- ■ spitfuous by- their absence " from such deathbeds. How fares it with the souls of such persons ?• However, • they have died without the armour of the Holy Sa<> raments. "; . .L • (To be concluded next week.)