When I was younger, I learned to make the Sign of the Cross when we drove past a cemetery. I didn’t know the reason for doing that, but it was nice gesture that has stayed with me in adulthood.
Now that I’ve learned about the Resurrection of the Dead, the Mystical Body of Christ, and the Communion of Saints, I see the prayers we offer at cemeteries to be such a rewarding experience. They help me connect more fully into the mystery of spiritual unity and to live out the virtue of hope.
What is the Resurrection of the Dead?
Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” (John 11:25)
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 989), states:
“We firmly believe, and hence we hope that, just as Christ is truly risen from the dead and lives for ever, so after death the righteous will live for ever with the risen Christ and he will raise them up on the last day.”
What is the Mystical Body of Christ and the Communion of Saints?
The Body of Christ is the community of believers. We on earth are called the Pilgrim Church because we are on a journey to Heaven in our daily lives. This is why we live with hope; that virtue helps us in our journey to orient ourselves to Heaven. Then, there is the Church Suffering; the souls in Purgatory who are being purified of any imperfections and venial sins so as to be ready to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Finally, there is the Church Triumphant, the saints; the holy men and women in heaven united with God and cheering us on with their prayers.
What an exciting reality to know about our connection with our family, friends, and others that still exists beyond the realms of the physical world!
That is where our hope can also be found.
- When praying before a cemetery, having that hope for our loved ones that they are united with Christ
- Having hope when we ask our close saints to pray for us, that they love us and want us to be united with them
- And having hope that God is working through our lives to bring hope to others.
That is why I love praying at cemeteries. In the silence, hope exists. For there is still love and a deeper longing for the life that is to come.
Daniel Quintero is a stand-up comedian currently attending Mary, Mother of the Church Catholic Parish. His favorite motto: “Awkwardness does not exist.”
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
