November 1 and 2, are days filled with memories and remembrance of our dearly departed loved ones. On these dates, we clean the graves, show our respect, and light candles to pay tribute to the souls of our loved ones.
November 1 is known as All Saints’ Day, while November 2 is known as All Souls’ Day. During these days, we set aside time for our departed loved ones, expressing our love through flowers, prayers, and offering of food. We believe that during this time, the souls return to the earth to be with their families. It is also the time when we prepare food for them as they make their journey back.
However, recently, an incident has spread on social media, causing controversy. A group of young people went viral after they consumed the offerings in a cemetery. In a video, we can see them taking the food and eating it while laughing. We don’t know how the families of the deceased, for whom the food was intended, reacted to this.
Some netizens gave their opinions, with some saying that the food should be eaten rather than go to waste. Nevertheless, their actions may have hurt the feelings of others, especially if they caused pain or anger among the families of the departed loved ones.
As Filipinos, we hold deep respect for the dead and the traditions of Undas. However, there are boundaries to these rituals. We should not overstep our respect, and we need to remember that each family has its own beliefs and ways of honoring their deceased.
In the end, this is a reminder that we should be careful and sensitive to the traditions and beliefs of others. Each of our actions affects other people, and it is important to have understanding and respect for one another, especially when it comes to commemorating our departed loved ones.