1Thessalonians, thought by many scholars to be the first of St Paul’s letters, was likely written around AD 50 – less than 20 years after Christ’s ascension, not long at all after Paul first visited Thessalonica bringing the gospel - It was written to a community that had some misunderstandings – For they know of the Christ promise to come again – but they expected it to come very soon – in their lifetime before their death – They did not expect to die and were worried in some of them started to die before Christ’s return. – How was a Christian to understand death?
This is the problem that St Paul is responding to – and something we also need to consider – especially in November, traditionally a month focused on praying for the dead – It should be different from others, for we have a faith that should mean, in Paul’s words, “that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.”
The guiding doctrine for Christians is the resurrection of the dead – something we profess in both the apostle’s creed, which was professed at our baptism, and each time we pray the rosary, and the Nicene Constantinople creed, which we say every Sunday at Mass. The Apostle’s Creed – “I believe […] the resurrection of the body, the Nicene Constantinople Creed – “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” – In the words of St Paul – “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”
Christ died and rose – and we live in Christ – in our baptism, we died with Christ that we might live with him – it is such that while death is a reality and we will die – death has no more dominion – it is our hope for heaven - and we are not just our souls, but body and soul – that at the end of time all will be raised – body reunited to soul that we might be body and soul in heaven – it is this hope that is the foundation of a Christian funeral, which has several implications.
The first is that there is tension in Christian funerals – there is sadness and morning – many tears are wept in grief, everyone wearing dark colors, facing the fact that someone has died – something which cannot be ignored, something that the funeral liturgy faces directly – however, the Christian funeral is marked by hope – While the priest traditional wears black – still an option today, we are celebrating a Mass – recalling not just Christ’s death, but also his resurrection and ascension into heaven. Further, while the casket is draped with a funeral pall - at the head of the casket is lit the Pascal candle – the easter candle which was lit at their baptism, from which the parents received a lit candle – the light of Christ. – recalling the promise of his baptism, that those who die with Christ will rise with him – the liturgy uses the word death consistently, not shying away reality – but also looking to heaven and the resurrection - sadness - yes, mourning – yes, grief - yes, but the Christian funeral is marked by hope – hope in the resurrection – that one day we will rise just as Christ rose from the dead.
Second, given this hope, while the funeral is very consoling for the family and friends – it is not actually about those who mourn, but about praying for the deceased, that our prayers still matter – that while death comes, death does not have the last say! – all in light of the promise of the resurrection of the body to come! While rarely heard today, the famous funeral sequence Dies Irea –is still part of the Catholic liturgy for the dead – starting with that dreadful proclamation - Day of Wrath - facing the reality of judgment – but this is not so much something of a call to fear or doom, but a call to prayer, for it is an act of hope to pray for the deceased – judgment exists, but also is the great antiphon Lux Eternea – a prayer for eternal light. So often today, funerals are about what the family wants or makes them feel better in difficult times – but ultimately, in light of our hope in Christ- the Christian funeral is about praying for the deceased and our care for them!
Third, the hope of the resurrection means that the body still matters, even after death. Christian tradition is to bury the body instead of cremating the body. Why? – the body will be resurrected – it is not just a pile of matter, but the body of a Christian whom we pray for. – It is a visible sign of our hope and belief in Christ’s promise of the resurrection of the body – we care for the body and the resting place of the deceased – this is why some of the men of the parish here spent so many hours working to right fallen headstones in our cemetery. While it is permitted to have the body cremated today – if God can resurrect a decayed body, he can resurrect from ashes also - and sometimes, such as in the case of an infectious disease, it may be necessary. However, the Church still affirms that burying the body is preferred as a mark of our hope and belief in the resurrection of the body.
This belief in the resurrection not only shapes our approach to the dead – but also how we live today in our daily lives - As put in the rule of St Benedict – “Keep death daily before your eyes.” - This is not so much a threat, but pointing to the hope of Christian life, that there is more, something beyond – death does not have the final say – we not only can but should look beyond death – to heaven and the resurrection – one day to be body and soul with Christ beholding God and the beatific vision – Again in the words of the Nicene Constantinople creed - “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”