Misconceptions About Death, Angels, and Dia de Los Muertos

I’ve been intrigued by how much interest there is about angels in the world today, especially from the secular world. In fact a 2011 poll found that 77% of Americans believe in Angels. Which is somewhat surprising considering that there is a growing number of people that don’t believe in God today. Sadly enough, angels are overly misunderstood. In doing some recent personal research on Angels, I was shocked to see how many erroneous books populate the shelves of new and used bookstores, libraries, and thrift stores.

There has certainly been a surging interest in our celestial friends, but usually it is because it is seen as a less threatening idea of heaven than God, Saints, or even death.

Death Doesn’t Produce Angels

It is common to hear of a recently deceased called an angel, but this is impossible. Death of a human never produces an angel because the two are completely separate beings. Angels were created before any other living thing, and wonderfully assist in glorious works of God. Humans have the terrific blessing of participating in salvation in different and more physical way.

Even though the Angels were created with more powerful and higher than us, Jesus still lowered Himself to become a man instead of an angel. This was such an insult to some of the angels that they refused to serve and were separated into the realm of hell.

Humans and angels are so intrinsically different that it is somewhat odd how this tradition came about of thinking people die and earn wings. As mistaken as the movie City of Angels was, it was something they strongly emphasized, but sadly, the concept of different beings didn’t catch on much. At least none of the other inaccuracies about angels did either.

I think that for some, it is a way of hoping that the ones we love that have died are no longer in a place of suffering and have passed through the gates of heaven. This sentiment is genuine and has good intentions, but if they have entered into heaven, the reality is even better than the stories and they are what they were created to be – saints.

One of the most difficult things about this is that this is often shared in times of grief and pain, which is not the most sensitive time to correct someone on mistaken understandings of the faith. I am hoping that the more we bring this outside of  the difficult times, the more we can learn more accurate ways of speaking of the faithfully departed.

 

Dia de los Muertos

Here in Austin, and in many other places, it is increasingly common to hear about Dia de los Muertos, and it’s often confused with the secular celebrations of Halloween in the United States. While there is a very long history of natives from Mexico celebrating their ancestors through a month long celebration, the authentic celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is very Catholic at its heart.

Many of those that try to dismiss this fact, also try to ignore how deeply entrenched contemporary Mexican Culture is in the tradition of the Church. If this wasn’t true, Dia de los Muertos would be weeks long and celebrated in the heat of the summer.

The official day of the dead is recognized by the Catholic Church as the universal feast of All Souls Day celebrated on November 2nd. Unlike the pagan understanding of death, we know that our love ones need prayers and we need their intercession for their journey toward heaven. On this day the Church raises our departed loved ones to the altar to offer prayers of atonement and remembrance.

After the dramatic separation of the soul from the body, we believe that souls require cleansing of the sins they cling to at the moment of death through the process of purgation. Some of us need more than others, but because the soul separates from the body, it exists outside of time as we know it. This is why we continue to pray for our loved ones for years after our their death.

This is a perfect day to visit the tombs of our departed family and friends, tidy them up if necessary, and spend time remembering them. In Mexican culture, it is common to celebrate their memory through their favorite foods, activities, and reflecting upon their best memories. We know that death does not destroy them, and we can still be connected through the communion of saints.

Catholic Symbolism on Mortality

There are some odd traditions that have crept through the centuries that are not part of the Catholic Christian perspective. Although, there is a fascination with skulls, and while it may look morbid, it has been a popular symbol in the Christian tradition (especially in the Franciscan tradition) to remind us of our inescapable mortality.

We cannot be afraid of death, for we know we will all face it some day, and we know that our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can grant us eternal life.

I once visited a famous Capuchin Franciscan chapel in Rome that features huge designs, patterns, and images built out of the real bones of approximately 5,000 dead Franciscan brothers. It can seem scandalous to the faint of heart, but its message is powerful and surprisingly beautiful. The final sign reminds you “What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be. Below are some images from that chapel.

Remember to pray for your loved ones this upcoming All Souls Day, and speak boldly of the incomparable reality that heaven is a much better reality than any fairy tales. Death, be not proud.