Three Remembrances
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
If you have not watched the film, “Coco” I suggest it for middle school and older. Though not a full and complete explanation of this significant day of memory for Mexican culture, it provides in colorful story form the importance of remembering those that have passed on and celebrating life.
Reformation Day
Considered the beginning of Protestant Christianity Reformation Day remembers Martin Luther’s questioning, in writing, the current theological and ecclesiastical leadership and he called for reforms. Catholicism was the only Christianity at this time. Luther’s alleged questioning of the Church led to his expulsion from the Church and began the development of Protestantism, ie: all other forms of Christianity.
All Saints’ (Souls’) Day
There is no specific date that can be identified with certainty about the beginning of All Saints’ Day. This Catholic tradition of remembering persons that have attained heaven has been embraced by Protestant Christianity as a way to remember persons that have died in the previous year. Many congregations pause during worship to read the names of members and other significant persons to their community that died since the previous November.
There are memories that are factual.
There are memories that we wished were ours, but belong to another.
There are memories you wished had happened the way you remember it, but didn’t, and you know it didn’t. But, the way you remember an event, a smile, a conversation, or a story makes you feel better.
What do these three memories above hold in common? Maybe it is comfort. They also have another characteristic in common: confrontation. This is a part of memory that most of us want to forget. It’s been my experience that memory that confronts is probably a better teacher than memory that comforts. Maybe not?
What memories of the Covid-19 pandemic will comfort and confront us as individuals, as followers of Jesus, and as people who participate in social systems that we call community? What lessons do we need memory to teach heading into Thanksgiving and Advent in a not yet post-pandemic community?
A “teaching memory” from my first year of college I was a religion major at Texas Christian University. Near the end of her lecture, Dr. Camp asked if there were any questions. I raised my hand. “Yes, could you ask that lady (pointing to an older student) to hold her questions until the end, or make an appointment with you so we can get through one of your lectures uninterrupted?” Dr. Camp squinted her eyes and said, “Mr. Davison, please stay behind following class so we can have a few words. Other questions?”
When I approached the desk Dr. Camp said, “Follow me.” We traveled from the classroom to her office. There, Dr. Camp explained the nature of higher education and the behavior expected of religion majors. Then, she quizzed me on the day’s lecture. Once I was sufficiently chastised, Dr. Camp encouraged me to find the student I insulted and apologize. “I expect a written verbatim of your conversation with her by the next class. I suggest you move to a seat near her for the remainder of the semester. Get away from the religion major’s corner. You might learn something.”
I’ll always be grateful for that memory.