November 2, 2006
Reminder
All Souls’ Day
In our church’s liturgy, we pray for the dead. Some folk find that morbid and distasteful. At the least, maybe even pagan. Whatever, it doesn’t stop us. In my case, the older I get, the longer the list.
From the tenor of the prayers, praying for those who have died in this life and gone on to another or wherever is often like putting in a good word for them with God (as if I had any influence!) or it’s like asking them that if they can find one to put in a good word for me.
Rather does it seem to me — and this is where the nourishment is — that praying for the dead reminds me of how connected we were in ever being acquainted in the first place, let alone really knowing each other, and, maybe more importantly, how connected we continue to be, acquainted or not. The same thing’s true in praying for anybody, alive or dead, even me.
We sing “with all the saints who from their labors rest,” but I hope they don’t enjoy all that leisure so much that they forget who I am and maybe will send a note now and then saying something like, “Having wonderful time. Wish you were here.”