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A Psalm for the Dying
Relatives and friends, I am about to leave;
My last breath does not say "goodbye,"
For my love for you is truly timeless, beyond the touch of boney death.
I leave myself not to the undertaker,
for decoration in his house of the dead,
but to your memory with love.
I leave my thoughts, my laughter,
My dreams to you whom I have treasured
Beyond gold and precious gems.
I give you what no thief can steal,
The memories of our times together.
The tender love-filled moments,
The successes we have shared,
The hard times that brought us closer together
And the roads we have walked side by side.
I also leave you a solemn promise
That after I am home in the bosom of God,
I will still be present,
Whenever and wherever you call on me.
My energy will be drawn to you
By the magnet of our love.
Whenever you are in need, call me;
I will come to you , with my arms full of wisdom and light
to open up your blocked paths,
to untangle your knots
And be your avenue to God.
And all I take with me as I leave
Is your love and the millions of memories
of all that we have shared.
So I truly enter my new life as a millionaire.
Fear not or grieve at my departure,
You whom I have loved so much,
For my roots and yours are forever
Intertwined.
Edward Hays
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Before I Forget&
The Roman Catholic Church dedicates the month of November for particular awareness of the dead, but our own dear dead are also explicitly remembered in every Mass during the Eucharistic prayer, and often in the Prayers of the Faithful. Staying connected with those who have gone before is important if we are to avoid the foolishness of acting like the world began with us. We are heirs of a long history of people in our biological families, national families and faith families. They have shaped much of the world we live in and in many cases have left us examples of how to live noble, heroic and faith-filled lives. They are part of who we are and it is god foe us to pay attention to them, stay in communion with them, and honor their memories.
We also pray for the dead. The Church tells us that our prayers to Almighty God can help the dead. In praying for my parents and nephews who have died, I continue to stay connected with them and I believe they pray for me and my family and they stay connected with us, too. The Catholic attitude to the dead is: Stay connected but let them go. We are not to try communicating with them beyond our prayers (no séance), morbidly concentrate on them, obsess about them, or pretend that they really haven't died. They have died. The funeral is a time when we formally commit them to God's care and say goodbye until we met again in the life beyond this.
We may have to say goodbye many times in our process of grieving the loss of a loved one, but it is easier to let someone go when we believe that they are still living in God's care. In the end, Christ promises life forever for those who have died in Him. We need faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ ant that our dear dead now share in His Resurrection, His new life.
Who are some of the people I think of when I remember the dead?
What good memories do I have of them?
What good things do I want to thank them for?
Are there any of the dead with whom I have unfinished business?
What is my prayer for those who have died and what is my prayer for me?
On November 2, All Souls Day, there will be a Mass at 9:00 am for all parishioners who have died since last November 2. But, all of you who have buried a loved one this year, or at any time, are invited to come and to pray for all our dear dead at this Mass. And, let us never forget to pray for those who have died alone, unloved, unmourned.
At the Table of the Lord, we find healing and peace.
Fr. Bill
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