On a recent visit to France over Toussaint (Feast of All Saints and Holy Souls) it would seem as if the whole of France stops to visit the graves of their loved ones. It is customary to bring flowers – chrysanthemums of various colours and sizes to place on the tombs of their dead and war memorials. The cemeteries throughout France are awash with colour and alive with the presence of the living among the dead.
Prayers are offered at the cemeteries and each parish has a chance for prayers and blessings for their personal loved ones. As a community, we went to visit the grave of Sr M Elizabeth and Sr M Veronique, RNDM at the cemetery at Valmy, Charenton. As the leaves were falling it was a very poignant time to recall the death of so many people, from the youngest of a few months to young soldiers who had fallen during first and second world wars. Every grave and memorial told a story, and as we stopped at each grave a wife, husband, parent or child paused to tell us their story and to ask Père Didier for special prayers.
On my return to England we here in the UK and Ireland are remembering our fallen dead from the two Worlds Wars that enables us to stop and to ponder on the state of our world, and the cost we here in these Isles had to pay. So many people lost their lives that remain unknown to us but the poppy we wear unites us to them in a unique way.
As I walked through the graves at Valmy I was reminded of the haunting hymn that is sung throughout France during this time – Eternellement heureux, dans son Royaume! (Eternally Happy in his Kingdom). The verses are hard to translate but I was moved to tears when I sang that each time we see a name engraved on a tomb, and that even though we might whisper a prayer, we know that even though they have left this earth, remembered by a name on a cold stone, this person is now in the heart and embrace of God – and une étoile naît dans les cieux. (A star is born in heaven). So many forgotten graves in our cemeteries are fully of blessed people – their humble lives often did not seek glory, they left no story of greatness yet, as they left this world they won a place into eternal happiness.
Our Christian hope of eternal life is a lived reality as we walk around our cemeteries. This is what we do during November; this time is the “paschal character of Christian death,” the foundation of our hope. The “poor souls” that we once referred to are in fact, “rich souls”!
Lest we forget – the Early Church taught us to embellish our graves with a stone on which was engraved a prayer: “Rest in Peace,” or “Rest with God.” In this way a visit to the graves could strengthen us the living with the hope of eternal life.
Sr Rose Mary Harbinson, RNDM