Ching Ming

April 4, 2022 by No Comments

Ching Ming is a Chinese festival held in April of this year. It is an interesting concept that has many things in common with the Catholic month of November. But there are important differences as well.

Ching Ming is the time when families go to the local cemetery to clean the tomb of their ancestors. It is a time to remember them and to pray for them. There is nothing wrong with this part but it often goes beyond this. Families also leave items to help the dead. Items such as food, money, cars, tickets, and so forth. For it is a strong belief that the dead have need of these things. That death is much like life and material things are needed.

While honoring the dead and praying for them is something worthy giving them material goods isn’t. For the dead have no need of material goods. The only thing that is worth giving the dead is our prayers and sacrifices. For we often do not know what their judgment was after death.

For those in Heaven, they don’t need prayers because they have managed to overcome their sins and have obtained an everlasting crown. Those in Hell would like prayers so they could escape their punishment but they know it would do them no good. Only those in Purgatory need prayers for they can not help themselves and need our help.

We hope that the Chinese will understand, one day, that their ideas of Ching Ming are in error and correct themselves so that they would not be condemned when they are called to their own judgment.