THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The priests are called to maintain their holiness and purity, shaking off, so to speak, thoughts that are dead and devoid of virtue. This is made evident by God, as He instructs Moses: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Declare unto the priests, the children of Aaron, and say unto them: Let them not defile themselves by touching a dead man of their people; only his neighbour's kinsman, his mother and his father, his son and his daughter, his brother and his sister, a maiden who lives with him and has not been married, may he touch without defiling himself; and he shall not defile himself by touching anyone of his people, lest he become unclean. They shall not shave their heads, nor trim the edges of their beards, nor make cuts on their bodies.
Read more (419 words)
They shall be holy to their God, and shall not dishonour the name of their God; for they offer sacrifices to the Lord, bread to their God, and therefore they shall be holy” (Leviticus 21:1-6).
In truth, there is no inherent defilement to a person caused by the death of another. However, the physical state of dying serves as a reminder of internal decay that can lead one into spiritual corruption through desire or action. Hence, it is wise for the faithful to distance themselves from dead works and avoid association with those entangled in such actions, as it is affirmed, “He who touches the pitch will be defiled” (Sir. 13:1). Those who fail to guard against such influences risk sharing in another’s wickedness.
The law permits the consecrated to interact with close relatives like parents, children, and siblings, even in death, acknowledging the importance of their nature without imposing harsh judgment on such acts, provided that the faithful do not appear cruel or indifferent. As the law prescribes, “Honour thy father and thy mother, … That thy days may be long upon the earth” (Exodus 20:12). Moreover, it is emphasized that the consecrated should not grieve unduly: how can those who serve as priests of life and offer sacrifices to God in light of Christ’s victory over death carry the weight of grief for death? The apostle Paul also reminds those baptized into Christ of the hope of resurrection: “But I do not want to leave you, brethren, in ignorance of the dead, lest you should grieve as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, God will also bring those who died in Jesus with Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).
Therefore, while the law allows the consecrated to approach their dearly departed relatives, it tempers this permission, ensuring that they do not misuse it or stray from their sacred responsibilities. For example, it prohibits certain practices like shaving the head in imitation of others or altering one’s appearance through disfigurement, and it warns against any behaviors reflecting pagan folly, such as bodily cuts. It is reasonable to empathize with one’s bereaved family, but to harm oneself in sorrow is both foolish and irrational, as it is written: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). The Saviour instructs us to prioritize our obligations to God over even those to our parents, stating, “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).