Day 229: Christian Funerals

For the Christian the day of death inaugurates, at the end of his sacramental life, the fulfillment of his new birth begun at Baptism, the definitive "conformity" to "the image of the Son" conferred by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and participation in the feast of the Kingdom which was anticipated in the Eucharist - even if final purifications are still necessary for him in order to be clothed with the nuptial garment. CCC 1682

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses that final act we all will face one day: Christian funerals. It is "the end of [our] sacramental life" and commitment of our souls to the hope of resurrection in Christ Jesus. Everything we do in life is supposed to orient us as Christians to "take up [our] cross and follow [Him]" (Matt 16:24-26) with this final moment in mind. 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes the relationship between the sacraments and the death of a Christian:

The Christian who dies in Christ reaches at the end of his earthly existence the fulfillment of that new life which was begun in Baptism, strengthened in Confirmation, and nourished in the Eucharist, the foretaste of the heavenly banquet. The meaning of the death of a Christian becomes clear in the light of the death and Resurrection of Christ our only hope. The Christian who dies in Christ Jesus goes “away from the body to be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). (#354)

Funerals can be tough on everyone, especially when they are completely unexpected and/or at a young age. For Christians, they should also be a reminder of our ultimate end in this life, and hope for the hereafter as we go to "be home with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8). 

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

The Christian meaning of death is revealed when we look at how Jesus died, a death marked by grief and struggle. Sweating blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked the Father to take the cup from him, but he embraced his Cross with trust in his Father. The homily during a funeral Mass should not be just a eulogy about the person. It should shed light on what death means for a Christian since Christ has risen from the dead. It invites the congregation to pray on behalf of the person who is in the casket. (p. 222)