WHY DO WE KEEP SAYING “REST IN PEACE” TO THE DEAD WHEN THE LIVING ARE THE ONES WHO NEED PEACE?
Have you ever stopped to think about the words “Rest in Peace” that we so frequently say whenever someone dies?
We write them on burial posters, engrave them on tombstones, and repeat them in our tributes. But have we ever paused to consider the deeper meaning of these words?
The truth is that death takes a person beyond the ordinary experiences of our earthly existence. We do not fully understand the condition of the dead or how they experience existence beyond this realm. We cannot confidently describe their state of peace or rest simply because we wish it for them.
Yet, we continue to direct our wishes and prayers toward the dead, while the living, who are physically present among us, struggle daily to find peace.
Think about it.
The living are the ones battling depression, anxiety, hatred, jealousy, bitterness, family disputes, broken relationships, financial pressure, and the weight of everyday existence.
The living are the ones who need someone to listen to them, a hand to hold, a word of encouragement, an apology, forgiveness, understanding, and love.
The living are the ones who lie awake at night because of the troubles of this world.
So, why do we wait until people die before we begin to speak words of peace over them?
Why do we wait until a person can no longer hear our voices before we tell the world how much we love them?
Why do we celebrate people at their funerals when we could have made them feel celebrated while they were alive?
Why do we allow pride to keep us apart, hatred to destroy our relationships, and unforgiveness to rob us of precious moments, only to gather at a burial ceremony and write, “Rest in Peace”?
Perhaps the greater question is not whether we should stop saying “Rest in Peace,” but whether we have given enough thought to the peace that the living desperately need.
We may continue to use the expression as a gesture of respect, love, or remembrance. However, we should not allow it to distract us from the peace we can actively promote in this present life.
We cannot fully explain the condition of the dead beyond this earthly realm, but we can choose how we treat the people standing right before us.
We can stop hurting one another unnecessarily. We can apologise when we are wrong. We can forgive. We can settle disputes. We can speak kindly. We can make our homes places of peace rather than places of fear and conflict.
The dead are beyond our ordinary reach, but the living are still within our reach.
Let us therefore spend less time waiting until people die to wish them peace, and more time helping them experience peace while they are alive.
Let peace begin in our hearts, our families, our friendships, our marriages, our workplaces, and our communities.
Let us become the reason someone finds comfort in a difficult season, the reason someone smiles after a painful experience, and the reason someone believes that goodness still exists in this world.
After all, we do not need to wait for death to start showing people love, respect, kindness, and compassion.
Let the dead be remembered, but let the living experience peace.
Because while we may not fully understand the realm of the dead, we are here, in the realm of the living, with the opportunity to make life more peaceful for one another.
The dead are gone from our earthly reach; the living are still here. Let us give the living the peace we are so quick to wish for the dead.