The beginning of ghost month this year fell on Aug. 19, and it is neatly sandwiched between two important Marian feast days. Both the Assumption of Mary (Aug. 15), and her Queenship (Aug. 22) celebrate the singular grace given to Mary, that she was assumed into heaven “body and soul,” where she reigns as queen of heaven and earth.
These two Marian devotions remind us that our ultimate destiny is not death, but a resurrected life in the presence of God forever.
Mary has shown us the way because by carrying out the mission entrusted to her of bringing Jesus into the world and accompanying him until his death and resurrection, she has modeled for us the fruits of responding generously to God’s invitations.
The vision of Mary enjoying the glories of heaven stands in stark contrast to the images evoked by the Chinese ghost month.
In Chinese folk religion, it is believed that the souls of those who have no one to pray for them, or are no one’s ancestors, or have a lot of bad karma, end up as ghosts who wander the earth in the seventh lunar month.
These ghosts, also known as pretas, look horrible. They seem to be human, but have short limbs, distended bellies, and tiny mouths and throats, making it very difficult to receive nourishment. The Netflix series, “The Ghost Bride,” includes creative depictions of life in the world of the hungry ghosts.
Prayers and offerings
How must one relate with the hungry ghosts?
Prayers and offerings are necessary in the seventh lunar month to appease the ghosts.
It is also believed that the recently deceased, still in the process of rebirth in the first years after death, need special care on this month to help them in their transition to the afterlife. Thus, Chinese temples, whether Daoist or Buddhist, have their versions of rituals and services to care for the hungry ghosts and the ancestors at this time.
Stories abound of compassionate figures like Mulian who descend to the underworld to save their suffering loved ones from torment in the realm of ghosts. These reach a high point on festival day, known as Yulanpen/Ullambana or Zhongyuan, on the 15th day of the month (Sept. 2 this year).
Because of the pandemic, however, temples are closed and festivities cannot be held.
In Singapore, the government issued guidelines allowing rituals to be held outdoors, with a maximum of 50 people in attendance. Temple communities who are internet savvy have invited devotees to online religious services.
On the popular front, Google search shows that the ghost month is highlighted in various sites and publications as an inauspicious time when no major activities are conducted, in personal and business matters.
A lot of feng shui advice is being dispensed, from wearing of amulets to practical tips such as maintaining cleanliness, good lighting and filling up cracks so that the hungry ghosts have nowhere to hide.
Personal hygiene and safety are emphasized, especially during pandemic.
Truth be told, a lot of the advice is actually common sense, important and applicable whether it’s ghost month or ghost year, as far as 2020 is concerned.
Fear is a very powerful force and dictates many of our practical decisions. What harm is there in trying to attract good chi and keeping bad luck at bay? For people of faith, there’s an invitation to focus on the core of what the ghost month is about rather than on keeping oneself safe and lucky.
Beyond death
There is fear of the harm the hungry ghosts can do, but too easily, one’s practices can become too self-oriented. It’s about what I will do for myself and my household to attract good luck, rather than what I will do to help the hungry ghosts and to care for my ancestors.
The core practices during the festival are, in fact, to pray and to make offerings to care for one’s deceased family members, and to help the lost or hungry souls reach a better state of being. Buddhist and Daoist rituals have these as objectives, with the effect of preserving the family’s well-being because relationships continue beyond death.
Catholics, specially those of Chinese origin, who profess faith in the resurrection and the communion of saints have an opportunity in the ghost month to remain linked to traditional culture while expressing this link in a Christian way.
Recalling Mary’s glorified existence in heaven is a reminder that we are all on a pilgrimage toward being with God forever in heaven. The dead and living are united in this journey, helping each other along by way of mutual prayer.
There is no Catholic tradition of or belief in hungry ghosts, but we do have a revered practice of praying for the souls of our loved ones and those who have no one to pray for them.
Deeper prayer, personal and by way of Mass intentions, and good deeds in memory of the dead are very meaningful ways of observing the ghost month.
The focus turns from practices that border on the superstitious to spirituality and charity that are focused on faith in Jesus Christ, the salvation He has accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection, and the communion of all those who are journeying toward God. —CONTRIBUTED