Death is inevitable in that scripture tells those of us who are Christian that we must die to this earthly life of sin if we are to live in heaven for all eternity in happiness, joy and peace. Even purgatory, for those who died in a state of grace but still need to purify their soul of venial sins, offers an indeterminate stay with temporal punishment before entering heaven. Hell, on the other hand with its torment of fire and brimstone and absence from God also is forever with no hope of entering heaven. Therefore, the meaning and related questions about death and time thereafter leads us to think about what type of life must we lead while on earth to avoid hell and to reach the ultimate resting place of heaven?
When we either witness or hear of those we know who die, we often pass judgment on how he or she led their life as to whether they are going to heaven, hell or purgatory. Whether the person who passed was a relative, friend, neighbor, co-worker, fellow worshipper or a stranger, we usually have an opinion and decide whether they are heaven bound or elsewhere.
What we need to look at instead is where we are on our journey. Are we in relationship with God? Are we doing the things that God has told us we should do so when it is our time to pass, we have that golden ticket to the gates of heaven, or at least a green ticket to purgatory to help purify any leftover venial sins?
Deciding what is right or wrong, sinless or sinful would seem to be easy, but based on the lack of numbers who attend the Sacrament of Reconciliation, comments people make about their lives and things people do, we know that balancing our lives with the expectation of what Jesus told all during His time on earth is difficult at best. How do we recognize what needs to be done or changed is something we need to ask ourselves daily, not just periodically.
To do that, we need to start with what Jesus asks of us. God communicates through prayer not just at Sunday Masses but always. How often do we pray? Some answer at church, at meals and when we visit church for such liturgical rites as Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and Weddings. These are all good times to pray. But what about daily when we wake up? Do we thank God for giving us another day to be in relationship with Him, ask Him for help in leading a holy life?
What about throughout the day? Do we connect with God to make sure we recognize that what we are doing is still about being one with Him? Many days are wrought with trials that happen without warning. How do we manage ourselves? Do we go to God first or do we become agitated and angry and do just the opposite with what God has offered as ways to cope with life in general and specifically with things that affect us?
Prayer is a way of keeping us calm during times of strife. It causes us to think before just acting which may or may not be helpful if we decide that what just happened is negative and will cause us grief.
Those who are ordained, who are religious, and many lay people pray the prayer of the Church known as “The Liturgy of the Hours.” It is offered in one book and in a set of four books as it relates to the seasons of the Church. It is filled with Scripture readings, psalms, letters written by saints and theological aspects of the Roman Catholic Church. Those of us who are ordained are asked to read it in the morning, evening and at night. However, it offers prayers throughout the day which in we can connect with God.
Prayer often leads us to act in our life for the better not only in our lives but with those in whom we come in contact. A woman who lived across the street from us for 29 years recently lost a second son to a heart attack. She was in her 90s and he was living with her. She was getting mail from her box in front of her house and began to break down in tears. I was outside getting into my car to go to church. I stopped and went to her and told her she needed a big hug from me. We hugged until she quit crying and told me thank you as it was what she needed at that moment in time. A month later she passed away from cancer that was untreatable.
Simple things like that remind us of how fragile life is and how we need to be more aware of how we can be a positive force in life for all those created by God. I have added this neighbor to my daily prayers because today’s feast encourages us to pray for the souls of the faithful departed, reflecting on their souls. Theologically, prayers emphasize God’s mercy and justice, highlighting the role of the saints and how they intercede for the faithful, fostering a spirit of community and support.
Let us take this next week to focus on our relationship with Jesus through prayer. As we wake up in the morning, thank Jesus that we have another day to be with and to serve Him. At lunchtime think about praying the rosary. In the evening remember what we did in God’s will for all that happened throughout the day. And, at night before falling asleep, thank God for choosing us to be in His grace and to sleep well so we can serve Him again the following day.
First Reading: Wisdom
3:1 – 9
Psalm: 23:1
– 6
Second Reading: Romans 5:5 - 11 or Romans 6:3 – 9
Gospel: John
6:37 - 40
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