Food for the souls

Once again the cemeteries came alive. As in literally with people from all walks of life —relatives, friends and loved ones were gathered for their departed.

In an ordinary day, people pass and think of it as just a place of forgotten memories. There is no other day in the year when this silent place on earth would be like a disco pub, or like a rally, or a fiesta where food abounds.

All Souls Day, or even a day or two before it, was an opportunity to meet relatives who would really take time to visit the tombs of their loved ones. For others, it was a rare opportunity to meet again relatives that for the longest time we have had no information of their whereabouts.

On All Souls Day, we gathered together as a family in the cemeteries as if it was a generational gathering from first to third generation as we showed respect and yearning to our departed loved ones. And, yes, common to this gathering that also binds the family is the presence of food. It is just the type of food prepared in any special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and others.

What makes it even amusing is that we took time to prepare the favorite food of our deceased, making sure that we have separate plates for them.

Gastronomically, we need to eat food for nourishment and to sustain our daily undertakings. However, maintaining the health of our physical being and the soul beyond requires careful nurturing. If we do not strengthen and protect ourselves, and instead inject unhealthy food into body and soul, it can no longer serve as a peaceful refuge within us. We become susceptible to the turmoil of anger, unhappiness, stress, and dissatisfaction with our lives. Our relationships with others would also determine the quality of life and soul later on. Maintaining healthy relationships would mean maintaining peace of mind.

Yes, we all make mistakes. And so being compassionate and forgiving toward ourselves and learning to move on is one good way to keep a healthy life and a blissful soul. We cannot change the past and so putting so much pressure to change it would not help us in facing the future.

Toxic attitudes, behaviors, and differences that we allow into our lives put our soul in danger. We can’t avoid contact with such toxins in this fallen world, but we don’t have to be contaminated by them. We can detoxify our soul and start experiencing the pure life that God wants us to enjoy.

For after all, our departed loved ones need to know that we are content and we want them to be happy as well as to know where they are now. They need our prayers for we want them to be all in the hands of our Creator.

Our souls remind us of our mortality. We are all transients in this world. We all pass this world and face our great Creator. What we do here on earth will surely have impact on the life we would have. For Catholics believe that purgatory is the temporary place for souls who have sins and the chance for them to be saved with prayers.

This is owing to what they have done while still on earth. And if we are gracious and compassionate to others we will be rewarded but if we are otherwise, there will be disconcerting consequences.