Preparing The Dead ©
By Michael Casey
Life is for living but what of the next life? Are you ready
for what happens next, assuming you have a Faith, or had any Hope or Charity in
your life. It’s the Hope and the Charity perhaps more than any Faith that’ll make
the difference. Who so ever you did it to the least of my brethren, you did it
to me so it speaks in the Bible. I’m sure other Faiths have great words and
beliefs that cover such things. But what of the Undertaker, when he performs
the last services for the body, for all our bodies what about him?
In The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker my first book,
it’s a comedy drama by the way, we meet Percy Frost the Undertaker and Poet,
though for him Poet and Undertaker might be the correct order. So let’s listen
in as he goes about his work, his vocation, as generations of Frosts before him
have done so.
From the paperwork you are a Christian, so I’ll say the
Lord’s Prayer before I begin, or should I say the Our Father as it says
Catholic. Now if you are settled I will begin. I have to remove all remaining
clothing and clean your body, but you will remember when you came into this
world the Midwife did the honours, now it’s me the Undertaker who’ll give
you’re the final wash. I’ll avert my eyes so no need to be embarrassed, see
that’s much better, you want to smell tour best when you meet the angels.
The family has provided a suit to dress you in, and a nice
pair of slippers too, so you won’t make any noise in Heaven as you walk about
in the beautiful garden. That’s where the Garden of Eden is, but this time you
can eat as many apples as you like, just save a nice apple for me for when it’s
my time to get there.
Now you look so nice now, I’ll just comb your hair and put a
bit of blusher on your cheeks and a touch of lipstick. People get frightened if
you look too pale. I’ll just call my son to help pop you in your coffin then we
can put you in the chapel of rest so your family can come and say their final
farewells. I’ll have the Christian symbols placed next to the coffin too. See
there’s nothing to be scared of, and when all the family has said their
goodbyes I’ll put the coffin lid on. Everything will be just fine, then
tomorrow will be the funeral and then we’ll place you in your grave next to
your old dead mum and dad, see everything will be nice and you’ll soon be
having a cup of tea in Paradise.
Percy Frost is of course a professional, but more
importantly than that he is a Poet and a man of Faith. As he prepares bodies
for their eternal rest he knows he is privileged to be allowed to do such an
honour. He is prepping souls for their audition with Almighty God himself.
So Percy honours them whatever Faith they are, he says the
prayers for each of the Faiths with such dignity and grace as he prepares their
mortal remains. All Faiths and none are greeted by this Concierge of the
Graveyard, making them relax as her prepares them for the final joy of entering
into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Once there was a body released from the Council Morgue and
Percy had promised her a great send off
after having spent six months in the cold. It became a Jazz Funeral, you can
read all about it in The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker. Percy’s spirit
is based on a real undertaker we know and I feel all Undertakers do at heart
follow in his footsteps.
If you doubt what I say then all I’ll say is that you’ll
know if I’m right or wrong when you get the invite to The Kingdom of Heaven at
your own Funeral.
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