by Fr. Roland Guilmain, AA
Dear Father: I’ve been thinking about how our culture handles death. Why do we say “rest in peace” when a person dies? What does it mean? What are the origins of this phrase?
– Anonymous
Dear Anonymous: Your question seemed to be primarily historical. Yet on reflection I’ve found that it can lead to a deeper understanding of our relation- ship with our loving God.
“Rest in peace” is the English translation of the Latin expression Requiescat in pace. The text was found on some tombstones dating before the fifth century. It has been used extensively ever since. Originally this wish meant not only that the person died peacefully, but also died united with Christ in the Church. It addresses a fundamental need that all humans long for: rest and peace. We might express this desire differently, but the longing always remains in our hearts.
God instills in our souls this yearning for life eternal. In fact, he invites us to share totally in his own peace and joy. That is why he sent his Son, Jesus, to show us the way. Our discipleship urges us to live and model for others the teachings of Jesus Christ. When we die, he will judge us mercifully because of his great love for us. He will welcome us into the fullness of his divine life.
Ask Father
They consider humans as only cogs in a struggle for power or fame. They never appreciate the true worth of a man or a woman. This is shown, for example, by the many cases of sexual abuse or harassment that we hear about on the daily news. What a tragedy!
God, as our Father, reveals that he wants a loving relationship with us. This explains why God, without exception, creates all humans in his image and likeness. He endows us all with a spiritual and immortal soul, with intelligence and free will. He also wants to share with us eternally his peace, beauty, and happiness. The perfect rest!
So what should we do? Since we are body and soul, we should take good care of both. We must respect our body as a gift from God. For example, we must avoid gluttony or the abuse of alcohol or drugs. Each one of us has to discover his or her most vulnerable weakness and find ways to master or mitigate it.
We also must take care of our soul. Regular prayer time is indispensable in deepening our relationship with God. The sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion give us the spiritual strength to overcome our own weaknesses. These can help us control any harmful habit or action that weakens our resolve to do good and avoid evil. Some examples of these are pride, being judgmental, or addiction to pornography.
“We will find true peace only by abiding in Christ.”
The sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion give us the spiritual strength to overcome our own weakness- es. These can help us control any harmful habit or action that weakens our resolve to do good and avoid evil. Some examples of these are pride, being judgmental, or addiction to pornography We should also remember the importance of “resting in peace” in this life. After spending hours in physical, intellectual, or even spiritual activities, our bodies and intellects remind us that we need relaxation in order to replenish our energies. If we ignore the warning signs, we can easily fall into depression or burnout. Today, the huge decline in religious belief, as well as the varied ways we handle death, might make us wonder if “rest in peace” is still a valid way of offering condolences. I would say “yes” because we should trust in the sincerity of those who come to console us.
In view of the above, I would like to suggest a way that will help you to link the thought of death with the notion of peace. In your daily prayers, ask the Lord to grant you now the grace of en- trusting your death to his merciful love. This grace will not reveal to you when, where, or how you will die. It will, however, obtain for you the peace of mind and heart in knowing that, when death does come, our Father will be there to see you through.
God loves you!
