Remember

“I ask you to pray for me, don’t forget.”  With these words, Pope Francis departed for Rome following his visit to the United States.  One of the ways we fulfill the Pope’s parting wish to remember to pray for him is through the liturgy.  All of the Eucharistic Prayers are written to mention the current Pope and the local Bishop by name.  For example, in Eucharistic Prayer IV, we hear:

Therefore, Lord, remember now all for whom we offer this sacrifice:  especially your servant Francis, our Pope, Wilton, our Bishop, Luis and David, our Bishops and the whole Order of Bishops, all the clergy, those who take part in this offering, those gathered here before you, your entire people and all who seek you with a sincere heart.

   

Not only do we remember the Pope, the Bishops and all the clergy, we remember the entire people of God.  We remember the living and we remember the dead:

Remember also those who have died in the peace of your Christ and all the dead, whose faith you alone have known.

Liturgy is all about keeping memory.  We come together in order to ask God to remember us, but we also come together so that we can be reminded about the goodness of God.  We are reminded of God’s goodness from the moment we walk into church.  When we are warmly welcomed, we are reminded of God’s hospitality.  When we bless ourselves with holy water, we are reminded that God has chosen us.  When we witness the faith of our fellow parishioners who are struggling, we are reminded that God is living and active.  When we listen to the scriptures and hear how God acted in the past, we are reminded that God is faithful.  And when we hear the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are reminded that God’s love is beyond our human comprehension. 

The Rabbis say, “To remember is to give life.  To forget is to let die.”  The liturgy gives life by reminding us of God’s goodness and by giving us the words to pray in remembrance of all the living and the dead.