OF WHAT USE IS A REQUIEM TO THE DEAD?

Many a times we see the church preaches at funeral services. I ask myself its importance to the dead, may be they take advantage of the gathering to create awareness to the need for CHRIST. Other than this, I conclude without been careful that the homily (the preaching, the prayers and the offertory the church takes) is irrelevant to the dead.

The dead won't see the gathering, won't hear the preaching and won't benefit from it in any way. Not even the prayers said would do any good to the dead. Unlike in other faiths, like Islam, the dead can be pardoned and saved by the prayers or righteous living of the living relatives, Christianity has nothing of that sort. Once you rest the flesh, all works have come to a halt.

The spirit has got no repentance. The position of the dead in the life after death depends wholly on how he or she dies (this is not to say whether he dies by accident, or by illness or a natural one but his faith before death).

A glorious Home call, Called to His Glory, Called to Rest, Rest In Peace, are all hope wishes the living have for the dead. They don't have any impact on the dead's salvation.

When the day comes, when deep sleep falls on me, announcements should not be made. Only those who check on me should be informed of my sleep. The rest don't need to know that's why they don't check up. Don't waste money at the morgue. If the family is not ready for the burial the very day, mix cement with water (mortar) force it down my throat into my stomach, it can preserve my remains for three days.

The body awaits no man to do magic on me except for my immediate family. Not the church, colleagues from work or friends should be waited for. If you didn't visit to talk with me, you don't come to see my remains. Don't mourn me, I won't die a sinner, mourn yourselves. I won't know whoever has come to talk to me. Don't buy a coffin, it's too expensive. You can't show me your love by buying my coffin if you didn't see my need for that money while I lived.

Don't go and buy 6 by 3 feet land at any cemetery to bury me, take me to my Hometown (Kwahu Sukwa), dig the ground at the refuse dump (borla so), wrap me with a cloth and put me there. You can all leave for your various homes to continue your business and prepare for your own death too.

No one should hold any gathering to take donations. Not much is spent on my burial so no money is needed to secure any cost. No one should read any tribute about me, if I could not impart anyone's life or if no one remembers me for anything good, I don't need anyone to tell people how I was.

Don't mourn me as if I died a sinner. Now, death is of benefit to me. You should rather think about how you would depart but not me because I will be living well. Go back to your workplaces, after all some of you would just come to the funeral to show off their new clothes and to meet friends.

To everyone, the confidence of my salvation is CHRIST JESUS. Seek him today and your death will be a glorious one.

Ameyaw Charles Pascal.