The month of November each year is set aside as a time to remember those who have died. We begin the month with All Saints Day on Nov. 1 followed by All Souls on Nov. 2. These early days set the tone for our month of remembrance, with a call to pray for the souls in purgatory, and to reflect on our own call to holiness.
Why the focus? This short article will look into our tradition, explore our modern posture and offer some thoughts about leaving a legacy.
Requiescat in pace
Walk any Christian cemetery and you will undoubtedly see the acronym R.I.P. on many tombstones. From its earliest use, R.I.P. is “requiescat in pace” in Latin. It conveniently translates to “rest in peace” in English, preserving the acronym in the vernacular for most of us. I speculate that R.I.P. might have been lost to the broader English-speaking world otherwise. This ancient phrase is actually taken from a prayer that is recited at every Catholic funeral, as well as, some other Christian faith traditions.
V. Eternal rest, grant unto him/her, O LORD, [Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine]
R. And let perpetual light shine upon him/her. [Et lux perpetua luceat eis.]
V. May he/she rest in peace. [Requiescat in pace.]
R. Amen.
With this solemn prayer, said in community, we honor the impression made on our own lives by those remembered while praying for their eternal rest in the presence of God. It is a life lived in goodness and with purpose that we strive for, and what November can remind us of.
Peace today?
Last month, I wrote about the Sign of Peace offered at each Eucharistic celebration as another solemn act done in community. When we extend this as a spoken gesture, it carries a strength of blessing that is similar to the requiescat in pace offered a loved one who blessed us with their life.
Do we take the time to reflect on the impact of a life well lived today? Our busy, frenetic lifestyles can be all consuming as we rush through life to reach the next milestone or appointment. I must “plead the fifth” in this situation, as the days become like a blurring series of meetings and contacts in the name of progress!
Alas … we have November to remind us to pause and reflect on our call to holiness … not our call to achievement. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we read about merit. “The charity of Christ is the source of all merit before God. Grace, by uniting us to Christ in active love, ensures the supernational quality of our acts and consequently their merit before God, and before men” (CCC 2011). Perhaps our lack of peace in society (and internally) can be linked to a misplaced understanding of what it is that we are here to accomplish. In the same passage in the Catechism, a quote from St. Therese of Lisieux is appropriately given where she said, “In the evening of life, I shall appear before you with empty hands” (Story of a Soul).
A legacy of peace
For Therese and many of the great saints we learn from, life is a gift to be given away. We are born, we live, and we die … these things are common to all regardless of station or effort. November is a good time to reflect on legacy. What have I done to leave an impact on those around me, my family, my friends, my neighbor?
Good news … if you are reading this … you still have some time to adjust! Consider your legacy. Maybe you have been blessed materially and could make a difference with a cause you care about through a gift in your estate plan. Maybe you have been blessed with relationships that might care to know just how important they are to you while you can sit and talk about it. This could be a great time to create a legacy of peace that will change the world in which you lived and loved.
November is a time of reflection. We remember those who went before us and pray for their eternal rest with God. Our modern world places little value on a peaceful rest, consumed by what we can accomplish during our lifetime. Perhaps November can be a reflection time about the role of legacy. We leave something behind, and we can choose to make it meaningful to those who remember. Because, ultimately, we all go to God with empty hands.
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Related to: Hope in peace – Catholic Times: Read Catholic News & Stories