In China, Tomb Sweeping Day is a national holiday when families visit the graves of their relatives. Traditionally they clean the graves, light incense, offer food, money, flowers, and prayers to their ancestors. The rites are very important to most Chinese. I thought it was just to pray and care for the grave, but it is much more. Many believe if they don’t take care of the graves, the ghosts of their ancestors will return and cause them problems. This is a strange tradition in a mostly non-religious country. Even my ethnic Chinese supervisor, who isn’t “religious,” flew back to Taiwan with her elderly Mother to tend to her Father’s tomb.
As I traveled around the world, I noticed different ways of caring for graveyards. A lot depends on how much money people have, how much space is available and on their religion. In the Philippines, people are buried in layers beneath the ground and families come out to clean the graveyard on All Souls Day. In Austria, an ornate grave is a status symbol and a huge investment for many. Money makes a difference, even in the cemetery. The wealthy get lavish monuments and the poor are fortunate to even get a place. One grave is meticulously cared for while another falls into decay.
I remember as a child attending the Grange Hall Picnic at a small graveyard, where many of my relatives are buried. It was more like a festival for the living than a ceremony to appease the dead. I’m sure a few tears were shed, some prayers were said, and fresh flowers adorned the graves, but no one tried to share their food and drinks with their dead family members. Donated food was sold and games were played to make enough money to care for the cemetery and an old log schoolhouse. I fondly remember a game called a “cake walk” where for a small donation you could get a chance to win some wonderful desserts. It was also an opportunity to reunite with “living” family members, old friends, and loved ones.
I haven’t given it a lot of thought, but I won’t need much of a grave site. There won’t be a reason to come and visit my grave, because I won’t be there. My body may be in a casket under the ground, but my spirit will already be in Heaven because, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV) and I believed!
There is another tomb that doesn’t need sweeping and you won’t have to make sure it is looked after. Your time would be wasted if you go there to visit it or pay your respects. You see, the occupant didn’t stay there very long. When some came looking for Him, they were asked, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5 KJV). The one who died was JESUS and He rose up after three days in victory over death, hell and the grave!
Wayne Lance (2016)