November is a month set aside in the Church to honor and pray for our departed loved ones. One reason I love our Catholic Funeral Liturgy is the way we honor the body of the deceased. Their body was a temple of the Holy Spirit and the instrument through which they served God and others.
At my mother’s funeral, for instance, we honored the body that gave birth to us five children; the hands that fed, clothed, and cared for us in times of illness; the heart that loved us—and so much more.
The following are three of the ways we honor the body of the deceased:
1. Sprinkling with Holy Water
We begin the Funeral Liturgy by blessing the body with holy water, recalling the day of their Baptism when the Holy Spirit came to dwell within them. Through Baptism, we die with Christ so that we may rise with Him to new life.
2. Clothing with the White Garment
A white pall is placed on the casket as a reminder of the white garment received at Baptism and the glory the deceased now experiences as they see God face to face. Often, children or grandchildren of the deceased take part in “dressing” their parent or grandparent, just as the deceased clothed and cared for them during their life on earth.
3. Incensation of the Body
During the Final Commendation at the end of Mass, the body is honored with incense. Just as we incense the altar and the Eucharistic gifts to express their sanctity, we also honor the sanctity of the body of our deceased loved one. The sweet fragrance of incense reminds us of the peace and beauty of God’s presence, which the deceased now enjoys.
The Church prefers that, when cremation is chosen, it take place after the Funeral Liturgy so that the body may be present. However, when the cremation occurs beforehand, we honor the cremated remains in a similar way.
May all our departed loved ones rest in peace.
