Amidst the festivities naturally bubbling up as the Seelos Brauhaus crew gathered for another brew day, we engaged in the lively work of canning our Requiem, brewed earlier in the spring.
The irony with canning Requiem – a name referring to a Mass for the repose of the souls of the dead – is that the canning operation is actually a form of preservation. Sealing the brew from the despoiling air, the can’s contents flow forth at the appointed time, properly stored for longevity and freshness.
As we undertook this good work, the natural parallel with the recent Gospels from St. Mark emerged. The stories of the salvation found in Jesus echo the messages to Jairus as he searched for a cure for his daughter, to the woman with a hemorrhage, and to the disciples in the boat during the storm.
That message – as put to Jairus – remains: “Just have faith.”
This is key in understanding the message of these Gospel accounts, which each depict Jesus delivering the afflicted from death. We constantly pray for ourselves and for others to be shielded from the storms and frailties of our human existence, and for good reason.
Yet it also describes the nature of a requiem Mass for the dead, for our prayer for these souls is not a sign of hopelessness amidst our mourning. Just the opposite: we retain hope through death for souls that have passed from this life, that they, in God’s justice and mercy, may share in the gift of eternal life.
Therein lies the similarity between Jesus’ acts in the Gospels to prevent the occurrence of death and the requiem Mass for those already dead: our salvation won through Jesus reflects God’s plan for each one of us. With faith in Him, we will be preserved for our appointed time in this life. And at that point, in His wisdom, when God pulls the tab on the can of our lives, we pray it flows forth to reveal all the good fruit of the gifts He ultimately poured into us.
Deacon Mike Cardella, Chaplain
