Burying the Dead

When you think about it, you might decide that burying the dead doesn’t fit with the other corporal works of mercy. Many parishes have ministries devoted to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, and visiting the sick and imprisoned. We typically don’t find the same amount of effort put into burying the dead. Even the Bible lists the first six corporal works of mercy (Matthew 25) but neglects burying the dead, so does it really belong? Isn’t this something that should be left to the priests, the family, and those who agree to sing or prepare potluck dishes for the funeral? After all, a dead person doesn’t know whether he/she is buried or not. 

The practice of burying the dead comes from the Old Testament Book of Tobit. Shalmaneser, the King of Nineveh had many Jewish people killed and would not allow them to be buried. He commanded that anyone who buried the dead would be condemned to death. Tobit defied the King and was eventually exiled for it. He took the risk because he believed that following God’s law was more important than his own life. 

“ I performed many acts of charity to my brethren. I would give bread to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw one of my people dead and thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury him. (Tob 1:16-17)

In ancient Israel, a decent burial was considered an honor for the deceased and his/her family. In those days a body was anointed with oil and spices, wrapped in linen and laid in a cave or a tomb carved out of rock, as was done with Jesus. (Jn 19:40) Once the body had decayed and only bones remained, the bones would be collected and placed in a stone box called an ossuary so the family could make room in the tomb for future burials, thus creating a permanent burial site for all the ancestors. 

We can see the importance the Israelites placed on burial by the number of times the Bible refers to burying the dead: 

In Genesis 23 Abraham purchases a tomb to bury his wife Sara. Later, in chapter 49, we find that Abraham will also be buried in the tomb, along with Isaac and his wives, and their son Jacob.

In Joshua 24: 29-33 we see the respect the Israelites gave to Joshua when he was buried.

Ben Sirach said, “My son, shed tears for the one who is dead with wailing and bitter lament; As is only proper, prepare the body and do not absent yourself from the burial.” (Sir 38:16)

In biblical times, the failure to bury someone properly was considered a sign of disrespect and great evil. One of the most frequent curses in those times was “May the earth not receive your corpses.” In Deuteronomy 28:26 it is explained that our “corpses will become food for the birds of the air and for all the beasts of the field” if we fail to obey God’s commandments. 

The Bible also tells us that if burying the dead honors a man’s life, then praying for his soul aids him both in this life and the next. 

“On the following day, since the task had become urgent, Judas and his companions went to gather up the bodies of the fallen and bury them with their kindred in their ancestral tombs. But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had fallen. They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin.”

Maccabees 12:39-45

How do we as Catholics feel about burying the dead? First, in some ways we see it as a work of mercy performed easily when someone we know dies, we want to console the family and show our respects for the deceased. Second, on the practical side of things, just like in ancient times, dead bodies rot, smell bad and spread disease so we need to dispose of them for hygienic reasons. Finally, in our Catholic understanding of death and burying the dead, we believe that God made our bodies the temple of the human soul, and the living God himself. Showing our love for others after death, by burying them, is how we show respect for the body created by our loving God. (CCC 2300)

In the Creed we profess that we believe in the resurrection of the body. With these words we are expressing our belief in the victory over everlasting death given to us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Death is a passage, “the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting reunion with its glorified body. God, in his almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls through the power of Jesus’ Resurrection” (CCC 997). So, we bury the dead in the hope of the resurrection of the body, at our Lord’s second coming, when our mortal bodies will share fully in the glory of the Risen Christ. St. Paul described the glorification of our earthly body by comparing it to a seed which is buried in the ground, decays and then comes forth again as a living plant. (1 Cor 15:42b-44)

As Catholics, we celebrate a person’s death with funeral rites that are beautiful and powerful. The rites address the pain of loss, our faith in the resurrection and hope for eternal life; and include prayers to assist the departed on their final journey. During the funeral, the body is sprinkled with holy water as a remembrance of baptism. The body is also incensed to spotlight the deceased person’s dignity and sacredness as a child of God. Finally, the rites celebrate the deceased person’s life and their return to God. 

In our death adverse culture, it’s can be understood why some people like to avoid funerals and are not interested in burying the dead. But when you really stop and think about it, there may be nothing more merciful than helping to eulogize the end of a life. 

Kathy Montague is a parishioner at Holy Name Cathedral.