The End, The Beginning
ONE
In November we come to the end of the liturgical Year. The Feast of Christ, the King marks that end, as Jesus calls His entire Church to ponder our own death and the judgment. The book of Hebrews says, “…it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment…” (Heb 9:27). After these events that await everyone, Jesus then reigns forever as our Divine and Loving King. The older I get, the more these truths announce themselves: I am going to die, and I am going to be judged! How inconvenient! Everyday, my body reminds me that I am not made for this world. Further, the longer I spend in time, the less I can relate to it. “Has it been ten years already?” Or, “How did you grow up so fast?” etc. So, despite ads to the contrary—health formulas, new gym memberships, and strength supplements—our end draws near. Believe it or not, this is good news, as my body and life yearn for something more. St. Bernard of Clairvaux exclaims; “How consoling it is to see a just man die! His death is good, because it ends his miseries; it is better still, because he begins a new life; it is excellent, because it places him in sweet security. From this bed of mourning, whereon he leaves a precious load of virtues, he goes to take possession of the true land of the living, Jesus acknowledges him as His brother and as His friend, for he has died to the world before closing his eyes from its dazzling light. Such is the death of the saints, a death very precious in the sight of God.”
Lord, take away our fear of death giving us instead the hope of life, as the passing from this Earth enables entrance into our joyful homeland with you forever.
TWO
In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul exclaims; “Death is swallowed up in victory; Oh grave, where is thy victory? Oh death, where is thy sting?” (1 Cor 15:55). The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus changes everything. His resurrection becomes ours! In Holy communion, He replaces our bodies destined for death due to sin with His own imperishable body by pouring His own infinite Spirit into ours, making us ready to be raised on the Last Day. “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” ( John 6:53–55). This means that all my actions carry infinite consequences, for good or evil. Every deed I perform that is born from this indwelling Spirit not only prepares me for eternal life but contributes to the glories of the Kingdom to come. St. Paul teaches Timothy in his first letter; “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Deeds wrought in the Spirit of God well up to everlasting life, what Jesus calls ‘treasure in Heaven.’ (cf. Mt 6). Every choice I make takes me either towards or away from my union with God. Does the resurrection play into your day-to-day decisions? If so, how?
THREE
New Age and Eastern religions are very popular today. One of the chief tenets in these religions is the teaching of Reincarnation, the belief that the life force of a living thing regenerates as some new living thing after death. It ties creatures to this world only. There is no union with God, communion of saints, or Kingdom to come guiding our decisions. We are merely isolated entities whose destiny is directed by some remote process. In this context, we are not dignified persons created and destined for Divine glory; rather, cosmic accidents who need not exist and whose end is merely procedural. Somehow, coming back as a butterfly doesn’t give me sweet dreams. No wonder people need continual distractions to avoid the conclusions of this despairing and monotonous belief system.
But Christ through His Church offers a different and more joyful and definitive explanation: “Death is the end of man's Earthly pilgrimage, of the time of grace and mercy which God offers him so as to work out his earthly life in keeping with the divine plan, and to decide his ultimate destiny…There is no ‘reincarnation’ after death” (CCC #1013). Thomas a Kempis says, “death would have no great terror for you if you had a quiet conscience…then why not keep clear of sin rather than flee death?” (The Imitation of Christ, 1, 23,1).
FOUR
Modern movies and imagination are fixated on what has been dubbed the “zombie apocalypse”. There are some who actually believe this. Perhaps this is tied to two things: loss of faith in Jesus, while holding to the everlasting nature of life. The result is a climax where soulless creatures roam the Earth with no motivation other than to devour one another. Somehow, in the depths of our subconscious, this crazy fascination points to a truth: the soul’s existence in Hell. There is no zombie apocalypse of which we should fear but something much worse; the end brought about by souls who chose hell over God because they refuse the dictates of Divine Love. CS Lewis is right; “The gates of Hell are locked from inside. For the souls there, they end up choosing self-exclusion rather than live with God who demands selflessness from them.” Fortunately, the existence of Hell reveals a truer and more glorious reality; the existence of Heaven. There, we don’t just have wonderful experiences, but, even better, we are united with the source of wonderful experiences, united with the source of beauty, adventure, and joy itself…God! He destined for us such joys and happiness that we cannot even imagine them. Thus, my death is not the end, but endless new beginnings, each moment pointing to a reality richer than the one before, with God and friendship added endlessly!
FIVE
Living with our end in mind actually keeps us free from sin. We cease seeking power, money, pleasure, and status as our goals, as these keep us tied to this world which is passing. On her deathbed, St. Therese said; “I am not dying, I am entering life!” Entering life: love, joy, friendship, adventure, freedom, bliss, excitement, forever! This is what we know is coming. Heaven, don’t miss it for the world! A resolution; make every decision over the next 24 hours as if your eternal life depends on it. Repeat!