By Fr Stephen Chin
Introduction
The Qing Ming Festival is a God-given Festival. It is a very good festival like the Christian Feast of the All Souls celebrated on 2 November yearly, and normally celebrated on two dates, i.e. 4 April or 6 April yearly according to the Solar Calendar. Some now do it early or even later according to their convenience.
The meaning of the two characters
The two characters “清” and “明” have a meaning to each their own.
- “清” (“Qing”) means clear, transparent, pure; against muddy, dirty.
- “明” (“Ming”) is a combination of “日” and “月” = “Sun” and “Moon”, which means the Light of the Sun and Light of the Moon. This means:
- Brightness against darkness.
- A clear mind, filled with wisdom and knowledge; enlightenment.
The moral significance of this is that the heart faces “Enlightenment” through wisdom and knowledge, and being pure and sinless. For Christians, enlightenment happens through FAITH in God/Christ.
The two characters joined together means pure, sinless, Qing Ming = “清明”, which describes very fittingly the meaning of this FEAST!
The Chinese Tradition, Custom and Belief
This Feast is a sign of Filial Piety. In this Feast, the devotees show forth that the ‘soul’ is alive in the next, other world—life after death. Yearly there is the cleaning of the tomb on this Feast, where there is the offering of food(s) as sacrifice to the souls living in the other world of the dead. They, the devotees, wish them well, do good for them, on their behalf, showing respect and honour (and filial piety to them). There is a cause and effect of human action—“因果”, a belief that human beings on earth do good and do bad. The Chinese believe in this.
“Do good, and you get good reward” – 善有善报
“Do evil, get punishment” – 恶有恶报
“Sooner or later” – 早迟而已
Hence, there is need of purification from sin and effects of sins committed by man, through this feast by offering yearly sacrifices and doing good to them. There is also an element of thanksgiving to their dead ancestors, doing good works for them—a sign of filial piety.
The Christian understanding of Qing Ming festival and the Christian Tradition
The Qing Ming Festival “清明节”, is akin to our Christian Tradition of the Filial Piety, Respect and Honour of the dead and belief in the next life. It is a very beautiful Feast. On 2 November every year, the Christians have a Special Feast of the All Souls—saying three Masses for the dead. There are prayers said, for the dead Christians:
- Rosary: In saying the Rosary, we say the “I believe” with: “I believe in the resurrection of the dead”.
- In every sacrifice of the Mass, we pray for the dead.
- We do good works for the dead, we make sacrifices for them, to help them to get out of Purgatory—where all sins and temporary punishments due to sins, must be cleansed before they can go to heaven.
- In Taiwan, Mass is said for all departed souls on the Feast Day of Qing Ming.
Revelation: Holy Scripture = the Holy Bible = the Word of God = Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament, there are a few examples of belief in the next life and the Resurrection.
- In the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, there is hearing of the cracking of bones of the dead, they joined together, enfleshed, and become alive! There is faith in the resurrection and next life.
- 1 Maccabees: Judas Maccabeus made a collection for the dead who have used amulets and died, to send to Jerusalem to pray for the dead. Hence there is belief in the next life.
In the New Testament (NT) of Jesus Christ:
- Jesus Christ says: “I am the Way, the truth and the Life.”
- All life comes from God. God creates the universe, the world.
- He creates the angels—some turn away from God and sinned against God and become devils, like Satan.
- God also creates human beings—Adam and Eve. They also sinned against God by disobeying God and listening to the fallen angels—the devil.
Jesus became man, born of the Virgin Mary 2,000 years ago:
- to give us life and teach us the way to salvation.
- to save us.
- to do good works for us, physically, spiritually to give us His love, He forgives us of our sins.
- to die on the Cross for us and to rise on the third day from death, conquering sin, death and Satan.
- to give us the Holy Spirit to help us in our life on earth. The Holy Spirit is the love and power of God the Father and the Son—the third person of the Blessed Trinity (namely the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit).
- to make us rise to go to Heaven.
Hence there is the next life—there is the Resurrection of the dead (on the Last Day), and everlasting life and light.
Conclusion
The Qing Ming Festival “清明节” is a very beautiful Feast that is akin to the Christian Tradition, especially 2 November and the November month for the departed souls. During this time, we offer prayers, good works and sacrifice of the Holy Mass that are offered to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. We pray and do good works on their behalf (vicarious offerings). It recalls of Filial Piety and works of Filial Piety.
A warning to us: now alive, let us abound in good works for the living and the dead, and especially for ourselves, when now alive. Dead, we can do no good work. Jesus said, “We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day (light = alive). Night is coming when no one can work (darkness = death)” (John 9:4).
Follow Jesus, His teachings, His example of doing good for all. He was not just doing, giving, healing, feeding the hungry, curing for the sick, raising the dead to life and forgiving sins, but He gave us His life for us on the cross. The greatest act of love for us! To save us from sins and to lead us to His kingdom, heaven, a place prepared for every one of us.
Praise the Lord. Thanks be to God for his Divine Love for us. Thank you Jesus, thank you O Holy Spirit, Thank you, Heavenly father!
