PLEASE --- NO Requiem for me!

TO THE HORROR OF MANY OF MY FRIENDS who may be non-believers, I do believe in Life After Death. To those friends who are believers, and who happen to be Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, or Roman Catholic Christians, I state that I share their belief in the efficacy of praying for the dead. The reason for that is because of my personal faith in what approximates the idea of the "Communion of Saints." Many --- probably, most --- of my friends who fall into the Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican category may not share most of my beliefs about the Afterlife and how or why we the living pray for the dead. But it is because of what I believe about the nature of Life and the Afterlife that I have to say here and now that I do not want a Requiem offered when I die.


I WANT TO REST FOR A LITTLE WHILE, THEN CONTINUE ON MY JOURNEY! 

While I hope I'll be missed here, I'm sure I'll find quite enough to keep myself busy on the next stage of life. I'll probably be a babe on that level at first, but I'll grow up, and I'll find new and increasingly challenging opportunities for growth in my new life.


I rarely use the tired cliche, "Rest In Peace." I absolutely do not want to "rest" when I get to the Next Place. I mean, sitting around or staying in bed and resting gets old very quickly in this life, and I can think of few things that are more boring than "resting" gets to be. I want to keep growing and moving on into fuller Life and brighter Light.

Requiem aeternum --- eternal rest? PUH-LEEZE!

I don't know what the next stage of life will be like; I doubt if I could describe it clearly and understandably even if I were shown. But I happen to believe that there will be another stage of life after this, my human one.

That's why I am perfectly comfortable with making the following two prayers a part of my daily devotional ritual:

Remember me Your servant, O Lord, according to the favor which You bear unto Your people; and grant that, increasing in knowledge and love of You, I may go from light to light and strength to strength in the life of perfect service in Your heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

And, probably my very favorite prayer of all:

O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in Your mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. 

Good luck and Godspeed!