“Where Is Your Sting”

I was meeting with a dear priest friend the other day. We were talking about how many of our friends have passed away. He showed me a picture of his ordination class where the great majority have died. It seems that every day we hear of another person from our generation dying. Gee, did you hear that Bob Newhart died. Yikes. 

What this brings to bear is that we are not “spring chickens” anymore. Certainly my increasing infirmities also remind me of this. Sometimes I hear, “well, I’m not afraid of dying”. Hmmmmmm. I’m not sure that’s what I think. I’m reminded of the verse from the classic song “Old Man River”….. “ I’m tired of livin, but scared of dyin”. We can all be dogmatic on the topic, but the truth is that “none of us have died…none of us can speak from experience…none of us have experienced judgement before God.” 

What did some of the saints say about approaching death. These were men and women of great sanctity. Saint Alphonsus Liguori († 1787), bishop, founder of the Redemptorists, Doctor of the Church, patron saint of moral theologians, said, “At death the thought of God’s judgment causes fear in everyone. But,the just rise from fear to confidence.” Here’s a sample of some great saints speaking about death: (ref. Magnificat, Aug.1, 2024)

• Saint Bernard had such fears at the hour of his death, but he turned his thoughts to the merits of Jesus and overcame these fears. “Your wounds,” he said to our Savior, “are my merits.” 
• Saint Hilarion also was fearful at the time of his death, but then he said to himself: “What are you afraid of? For seventy years you have served Jesus; are you now afraid to die?”… Those then who die obeying the commandments die in the love of God. And those who love need never fear.”
• Saint John Fisher, on seeing the scaffold where he was to be beheaded because of his faith, said: “Walk swiftly, feet, we are not far from paradise.”
• Saint Francis of Assisi began to sing at the hour of his death, and invited his brothers to join in. Brother Elias said to him: “Father, at death we ought to weep rather than sing.” Francis replied: “I can’t stop singing, for I see I shall soon go to enjoy my God.” 
• Saint Teresa of Ávila had such a strong desire to die and be with God that she looked upon life itself as death.
• Saint Ignatius of Antioch, who was sentenced to die by being devoured by wild animals, said that if the beasts should not want to kill him he would provoke them to do so, so great was his desire to enter heaven.

This reminds me of the first time I jumped off the high dive as a kid… a combination of fear and exhilaration…”woe, this is really high, but it’s really exciting”. As St. Alphonsus says, “At death the thought of God’s judgment causes fear in everyone. But, the just rise from fear to confidence…..the Father knows how to console his children in their last moments. Even in the midst of suffering and pain, he pours into their souls a certain sweetness and peace as a foretaste of paradise…. Those who face death with God’s love in their hearts begin to feel that peace that they will enjoy forever in heaven…. “. Beautiful.

For those of us who have placed their trust in the Lord Jesus, death can be approached with confidence… not confidence that we have lived a perfect and sinless life and deserve heaven, but a confidence that we have placed our trust in the Lord, in his mercy and kindness, in the saving power of his death and resurrection. 

None of us have lived a perfect life. Even the saints did not live perfect lives. Yet, if we do our best in trying to live for Christ, in confessing our failures and sins to the Lord, and asking for his mercy and forgiveness, I believe we’re going to receive a blessed welcome from God at the time of our passing. We will recognize the Lord and his gaze of love, and hear “well done good and faithful servant…”.

God loves us with a love that is infinite. He if FOR US and will not let us slip away from his grasp of tenderness and love. At the hour of our death, “all will be well with our soul”. And that is very good news.