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April 3, 2005
Reflection on Life
These days we have been witnesses to many kinds of ending of life: the sudden ending of life in the case of massacred school teachers and students, forced termination of life in the case of Terri Schiavo, the sudden unexpected death of Bill, our own Jim Webster’s brother, and the natural passing away of a great apostle of Christ, Pope John Paul II. When tragedy strikes us so close to home, we are rendered speechless. It is worthwhile to ponder death so that it gives us appreciation of life.
We must accept, for one thing, death cannot be at one’s call except the call of the Creator. Death does not discriminate how young or how old a person is. That is His call and whenever or however he calls we need to be ready. And so is life. We did not come into this world at our choosing of the time, place or the family into which we were to be born. Life is God’s gift. A well lived life is our gift back to God. No one has control over life except God.
Sitting in my Life Science class of the Counselor Education program, thoughts were shared on Terri’s death and the way her life was terminated. In a land where animals enjoy special treatment, and where punishment would be meted out should one be found treating animals with cruelty, a fellow human being was starved to death. Of course, it was a matter of choice and respecting the wish of the dying, claimed another. However, if her death was a natural one, none of us would have questioned, because it is natural that we all meet our end, either because of sickness or accident.
These very sentiments were unceasingly echoed by the world’s greatest spiritual leader, Pope John Paul II. He was a true disciple of Christ and walked and talked the way of the gospel. Two decades ago he ushered this concern, Culture of Life. From cradle to grave, from womb to tomb, human life must be treated with dignity and respect. Thereby he defended the defenceless, the vulnerable, the voiceless in their right to life -- be it the unborn, the handicapped, the sick, the aged or the dying. The whole world mourns the death of Pope John Paul II, and also celebrates his life -- the way his life mattered to the million especially to the voiceless, the vulnerable, the defenceless and marginalized. Today we are able to celebrate his memory because of his faithfulness to Christ and the Gospel. Even when his life was under attack, he forgave his assailant, heeding the words of Christ, Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
Our life or death can be celebrated if it is rooted in Christ, i.e., “what we are and what we can become”, can be turned into something beautiful for God, given our existence on this earth. Let us ask ourselves, "What can I do for God today?" Or at the end of the day, "What have I done for Him today?" Each one of us can be the doer of the word in our schools, at work, in our families, in the community. This could be a life well lived, and that could be our way of thanking God.
Death could be despair, cruel and meaningless, if we do not have faith. Our faith would be absurd if Christ did not indeed rise from the dead, after his suffering and death. Yet, in the midst of our absurdities, Christ stands among us and gives us Peace: “Peace be with you”. Christ is here, where two are three are gathered in His name. Christ comes in even if we should shut ourselves in as the disciples did in today’s gospel. Open the doors of your hearts to Christ, the late Pope John Paul would say. Let Him come in and breathe peace and comfort, confidence and faith, hope and assurance. “Be not afraid for I have overcome the world." If we let the Son of God into our lives then that is eternal life, St. John says in today’s epistle: God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
Let us make of our lives something beautiful for God. As His disciples, we can love Him with our whole being and care for our fellow human beings with utmost concern, merging the vertical –- God and us -- and the horizontal –- others and us, creating the dimensions of the cross in our own lives. Each of us can be living crosses during our lives on this planet earth.
Posted by frleo at April 3, 2005 1:35 PM