A rite is a ritual of various natures observed by many different groups. Some rites are religious in nature - baptism - confirmation - marriage - ordination. Other rites are secular observances - reaching puberty - birthdays - coming of age - graduation - joining various groups. All rites confer a change in status - observe a transition in one's life - recognizing a new period - a beginning or end. Throughout everyone's life - all will experience these rites of passage. Not always recognized - birth and death - for all people - two rites of passage that all will experience. In the world view - births a rite to be celebrated - death a rite to be mourned. In people with religious beliefs - death should be celebrated as the next step in one's spiritual life - reaching heaven - getting closer to their eventual goal - attainment of a completeness of their life. For those with spiritual beliefs - death is not to be feared - rather expected.
God created the world and all that is in it - that which we can see - things not visible to the naked eye. No one can see atoms and molecules - with the aid of instrumentation - readily viewed. All can smell the freshness of the morning air - none can see it. Most can hear the sounds of nature - never view able. So many things that exist in the world - intangible - untouchable - physically out of reach - grasped only by our minds and intellect. For those who believe in a life after death - belief that once conceived - life eternal - ongoing - changed but never ending. All will share these rites - embraced - and experienced - one life at a time.
Deacon Dale
God created the world and all that is in it - that which we can see - things not visible to the naked eye. No one can see atoms and molecules - with the aid of instrumentation - readily viewed. All can smell the freshness of the morning air - none can see it. Most can hear the sounds of nature - never view able. So many things that exist in the world - intangible - untouchable - physically out of reach - grasped only by our minds and intellect. For those who believe in a life after death - belief that once conceived - life eternal - ongoing - changed but never ending. All will share these rites - embraced - and experienced - one life at a time.
Deacon Dale
