I was thinking about some of the language we use around death. The body is referred to as remains but in broad speaking, one referrs to the dead person as the departed. Is the remains like crumbs ( a remainder) or is it what remains here amongst us? The remains are the physical aspect of the person. However, the departed has left the building...or at least has left us. Has a timely feeling to it...ie:" the departed departed at a quarter past ten" or an ephemeral one as the departed has gone, there is nothing to see or respond to. The remains and the soul effigy "the departed"" are separate only at death. Too bad we don't talk about our bodies as St. Francis did referring to it as old brother ass...and that that is the spirit in a different breath. I know we do address physical and mental issues separately but that of the spirit is not even considered part of the mix.

Interesting.

Saint Mark of Ephesus says, "We can do nothing better or greater for the dead than to pray for them, offering commemoration for them at the Liturgy. Of this they are always in need... The body feels nothing then: it does not see its close ones who have assembled, does not smell the fragrance of the flowers, does not hear the funeral orations. But the soul senses the prayers offered for it and is grateful to those who make them and is spiritually close to them."