FRIDAY FAIR - A GRAVE MATTER TO BE SURE

It was quite a while ago when it was still called Symbolic Saturday that we took a look at gravestones. I did not have my own pictures at the time but this past Wednesday, my day away, Sebastian and I went for a walk in Glendale Cemetery here in Akron where there are some spectacular examples of monumental symbolism. (That was a poor pun.) There were even a couple of new examples that I had not witnessed before.

Below is a wonderful example of an urn covered with a cloth. The urn itself can represent the return of the body to ashes in its final resting place. (Ashes to ashes, dust to dust and all that.) The cloth adds to the drama. In some cases it can mean that this was life ended too soon (even if they lived to be 102), or the break in the curtain between this life and the next, or it could just be thought pretty. This statue is the personification of bereavement. It suggest that the person was well loved. The ring of ivy in her hand represents Fidelity, attachment, and undying affection.

There are many fine examples of obelisks there. In Christianity they remind us of earth's connection with heaven. It can also be a symbol of the resurrection first thought of in Egyptian times. They were thinking of rebirth however - we of the resurrection of the dead. The point symbolically splits the clouds so that the sun always shines on the grave. These are found almost exclusively in old cemeteries from the rural cemetery movement.

This was a new one for me and I love it. Here is Jesus holding a crown. Below is an inscription that reads, "(James 1:12 KJV) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life." Below are the individual grave markers each with a crown and cross on them.

The stump records the brevity of life. Cut down in the prime of life or perhaps when life was just beginning. Erosion has badly damaged whatever is on top but I believe it to be a lamb which would lead me to believe this was a child's tomb.

This one was just cool. It is Saint John the Evangelist. You can tell because of his youthful appearance, the eagle at his side, and the scroll in his hand.

This poem was just to wonderful not to share.

Please forgive me the next couple of comments: For those of you who get the reference, apparently Will didn't listen to the robot.

If you were wondering where the jobs are going . . .
I don't know who this guy is but he was Young when he died.

TELL THEM I'M A CHILD OF GOD

Here is a rather daunting task. It is an opportunity for something about you to be remembered forever. You will be granted two rows of fourteen letters and spaces to be carved into granite along with your name to be kept by the government at their expense and put on display for all future generations.

What do you want said?

I thought about this yesterday. Today would have been my mother’s birthday (she passed some years ago) and so we went out to the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery where she is buried (I know, I know, a mother of a Catholic priest not in a Catholic cemetery, but my Dad is a vet, he wanted it, and there are some things you do to avoid an argument and besides I blessed the ground) to clean up her grave site and pray a bit.

We agonized over what wording to put on her stone. Do you say something about her? Do you let her say something to us? How about a prayer for such a devout soul? If so, what? We settled on, “Beloved Wife and Mother”. This was very true. But I wish we had a mind at the time to be more creative.

This particular visit my sister happened to look at one of the nearby stones, which read, “Beloved Son, Artist and Musician”. We thought that was pretty great. Mom would like that. What a nice neighbor to have. On the other side was an inscription that read, “A Loving Gentleman”. She would like that too. Cool.

A gentleman. If only 28 letters can be used to describe you what a wonderful way to be immortalized. A gentleman. You could a lot worse. I could live with that I think.

Now intrigued we decided to look at what others had on their stones in Mom’s section. There were, of course, many religious sayings:

Resting until Jesus comes.
In Jesus’ love rest in peace.
Thank you God for your love.
Miss me but let me go.
Healed, delivered, set free.
Safely rest. God is nigh.

Some had saying on them:

Play the hand you are dealt.
Seldom right but never wrong.

Some were odd and made us stop and think:

Eternally swanky
More today than yesterday. (Which my sister caught on was part of a song. “I love you more today than yesterday.” Hey, you only have 28 letters.)
All great men make mistakes. (Wonder what that’s all about.)
MIC6 8 you better believe it. (Can anyone decipher that one?)

These made us chuckle:

I am fantastic.
I am blessed and doing well.
Sweet Jesus I made it.
Call me when you get home.
He loved family pets and trucks
Gone fishing
Oh well

Then there are those that seemed rather wonderful ways to be remembered:

Faithful to his fellow man
A man of sound character
Asked so little gave so much
A gentleman who inspired others
A kind and gentle soul

So what would you like?

When I was in the seminary one of professors, a priest, died. There was a sign outside of the chapel that read something like, “Philosopher, Poet, Keeper of Secrets,” and a number of other things pertaining to his life. I thought that pretty cool until another priest said something along the lines of, “None of that was very important. The first and best thing was that he was a priest of God. After that nothing matters much.”

Perhaps that is what I would like. “A priest of God.” But should there be a special and there are extra spaces to fill (and people think it true), “and a gentleman”.