This year the beginning of lent has coincided with a death in my family. The Church in its liturgy is now preparing us for Easter. The theme of death appears early as we are encouraged to re examine our lives and to return to a deeper faith. To experience a new conversion. Death as a theme has crossed my mind often. This last week it was constantly there. Death always comes as a thief. It takes away someone irreplaceable. A friend or a loved one. It leaves a void. At the same time it opens us up to the loss. It forces us to look at life. It brings into focus everything that happens to us and puts it in perspective. It wakes us up.
The entire Christian faith rests on the fact that death is overcome by the Resurrection. Death stops being an end. Death is the beginning of forever. As sad as I felt this week, and I can't even compare my sadness to the sadness of the very immediate family, I also felt joy at the fact that my faith tells me that death has no more power over us. The separation still exists, yet at the same time we are closer to the departed person. In our prayers we unite our selfs with our departed brothers and sisters who have already reached the goal of our lives.
"O Jesus, from this moment I wish to employ all my powers in accepting all the circumstances and pains of my death; from this moment I desire to accept death in the place, hour, and manner in which it may please You to send it. I know very well that I must suffer and be ground by the teeth of tribulations, sorrows, privations, desolations, and sufferings in order to become bread worthy to serve at Your celestial banquet, O Christ, on the day of the general resurrection. I well know that if the grain of wheat does not fall into the ground and die, it brings forth no fruit; therefore, with all my heart, I accept the annihilation of death in order to become a new man, no longer mortal and corruptible, but immortal and glorious." (St. Francis de Sales).
In the end I would love everyone who reads this to say a prayer for my brother's in law mother who passed away Tuesday February 28th. A remarkable woman who spend her life in service to others.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.