Augustine of Hippo, on Sir 30:18

“Good things that are hidden in a mouth that is shut, are as masses of meat set about a grave.”

“So now that he is buried, I want to see if I can hear his voice. Or if I cannot hear his, I'll try to hear my father's voice, or my grandfather's or my great-grandfather's. But in fact no one has ever risen from the grave, no one has ever told us what is done in the beyond. Let us enjoy life while we live, and if our loved ones—our parents, or relatives or friends—bring remembrances to our grave after we are dead, this can only satisfy them; it has nothing to do with us! The Scripture also criticized this practice when, speaking about those who do not recognize the good things they have, it says, "As though making offerings of food at a grave." It is obvious that this can be of no use to the one who is dead. It is in fact a pagan custom and not part of the tradition that conforms to the truth of the Patriarchs. Of them, one reads that they did solemnly celebrate the funeral rites but not that they carried sacrificial offerings to the tombs. This can also be seen in the practice of the Jews who, even if they did not preserve the fruit of the virtues of the ancestors, nevertheless did maintain the ancient custom with much solemnity.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.