Newspaper Page Text
£ Thursday, March 29, 2001
The Southern Cross, Page 9
Why death is such a great mystery
and life by celebrating the funeral in
the liturgical color of white with the
presence of the paschal candle to em
phasize that our death has been over
CNS photo by Bill Wittman
come through the mystery of Christ’s
resurrection.
Of course, humanly speaking, each
person faces death in his or her
unique fashion. Not everyone is as
brave as the martyr. Neither are most
of us free from the normal fears of
By Lawrence S. Cunningham
Catholic News Service
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'eath is such a great mystery
because while we can see it occur we
have no way of knowing what the
experience is. Furthermore, because
we have an instinct for life, death
engenders in everyone a degree of ap
prehension or fear.
Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” holds back
from self-destruction precisely be
cause he could not imagine the condi
gn of death:
“The undiscovered country from
whose bourn
“No traveler returns, puzzles the
will
“and makes
bear those ills
have
“than fly to oth
ers we know not
of’ (“Hamlet,” Act
3, Scene 1).
f Either because
the evils which
bring mass deaths
or our knowledge
from the news media of those who die
from starvation, disease and natural
disasters, death is a constant compan
ion in our time.
So much death occurs because of
human perversity that Pope John
« ul II has described our contempo-
y situation as living in a “culture of
death.”
Obviously, it is a fundamental
Christian duty to resist the kind of
death which comes through human
perversity. We are obliged to celebrate
life and resist death.
The struggle to affirm life from con
ception to natural death, as well as to
resist judicial execution, starvation,
war and so on, is a simple extension of
Jesus’ promise that he gives life and
gives it abundantly.
To affirm life is to affirm
the Gospel.
But what about our own
death and the deaths of our
loved ones?
Many theologians and phi
losophers have spoken about
death. The deepest thoughts
about death, however, really
come from the language of
the liturgy.
In the church’s official
prayer we meet the most
mmmmm
'o we not affirm in the liturgy that by
dying Christ overcame death? Is that
not symbolized by the dramatic shift
from the somber liturgy of Good Friday
to the joy of Easter?”
1
powerful language about
death. It is the language of
eternal light, peace, hope, the
power of the resurrection, the
communion of saints, life,
happiness and being with
God.
Do we not affirm in the
liturgy that by dying Christ overcame
death? Is that not symbolized by the
dramatic shift from the somber lit
urgy of Good Friday to the joy of Eas
ter?
The church in our time has empha
sized the connection between death
Can we look death in the eye?
By Father Frederic Maples, SJ
Catholic News Service
-L eople often report that they no
longer fear death following an “out of
body, life after life” experience. But
during my many years working as a
hospital chaplain, then as a spiritual
Rector and Jungian analyst, I’ve
seen that more ordinary ways of com
ing near to death can have a power
fully transforming effect.
—Anyone who faces a major surgery
in the next few hours will come close to
death emotionally, even when assured
the surgery is safe. Strong feelings break
into consciousness during the wait!
Afterward, many people make a
life-changing shift in priorities. I’ve
seen men choose early retirement to
spend more time with their families.
—Or people let go of big resent
ments. They come to know what is
important in life!
My father’s death led to an awaken
ing for me. One night months after
the funeral I realized that my mother
could leave us in the next few years.
Since I’m by far the youngest in my
family, I also saw that I could witness
the funerals of my brothers and sister.
These dark thoughts led to the
simple realization that I too would die.
For the first time, I vividly antici
pated my own death!
This knowledge proved immediately
liberating. In its light, lesser fears dis
solved. I saw clearly what was impor
tant and what I needed. I made a deci
sion about my life that immediately
made me a happier person.
If such awareness of death can free
us to live more fully here and now, our
relationship with God also is funda
mental to our serenity in the face of
death and what lies beyond.
Many of us grew up with extremely
fearful images of what happens imme
diately after death. Remember, how
ever, that Jesus on his cross prays
that his murderers will be forgiven by
his Father. I am sure we continue to
grow into Christ’s likeness after
death. But I’m certain love and mercy
are key factors in this transformation.
Of course growth and healing involve
some suffering too. The heart surgery
patient knows that.
When I was a young Jesuit, we
were taught a lofty image of the per
fect Jesuit accompanied by an accent
on our failings and weaknesses.
Later, during Vatican Council II, the
Jesuits adopted this self-definition: Je
suits are “loved sinners.”
In this, Jesuits resemble all Chris
tians. Being a Jesuit is no longer an
impossible ideal. It means to be cher
ished and loved by God, sinners
though we are.
Love and mercy cast out fear. As
we come to trust God’s mercy and
love, we are renewed and serene —
even in the face of death.
(Jesuit Father Maples is a spiritual
director with Loyola, a spiritual re
newal resource in St. Paul, Minn.)
Ina Nutshell
Fear is one reaction to the awareness of death. Another
reaction is emotional numbing. Still another reaction makes
death a “taboo topic.”
Yet some testify that coming to terms with death’s reality is
liberating— that in death’s light lesser fears dissolve.
Recognizing God’s love and mercy helps to quell the fear of
death and to begin seeing it as a new beginning.
All contents copyright©2001 by CNS
death nor placid in the face of a dear
one’s death. Humanly speaking, we
find it hard to face the death of a child
or young person.
But however we react to death, one
thing is sure if we are believers. Death
is not the ultimate tragedy or final
absurdity. Death is a new beginning.
Such assurance, however, does not
diminish natural grieving. It is whole
some and praiseworthy to aid grieving
people, to participate in funeral litur
gies and to assist the poor when they
require a decent Christian burial.
Such support is one of the corporal
works of mercy. We also carry out
that “corporal work” when we pray for
the dead.
What does a theologian think about
death?
First, that it is a part of life.
Second, that death’s mystery only
makes sense in the light of Jesus’
death and resurrection.
Third, that part of our human
story is to grieve and to help others
who grieve through our common
bonds of humanity and, more impor
tant, by our communion in the grace
of Christ, which we call the church.
(Cunningham teaches theology at
the University of Notre Dame.)
FAITH IN THE MARKETPLACE
Tell of an experience that
altered your view of death.
“It would have to be when
my brother was killed in 1997
by a drunk driver. He was only
33 years old. Up to that point,
when ... with a family who had
lost a loved one, I prayed with
them, felt bad for them, but I
couldn’t really relate to that
gut-wrenching feeling of ‘Why
did this happen to me, to us?’
But after my brother’s death, I
came to understand better that
there really are no answers and
that we just have to be there for
one another at such times.” —
Father John Trigilio,
Middletown, Pa.
“Death has been very up
front in my life, and each death
has affected me differently.... I
think that daily Scripture
reading and having a
one-on-one relationship with
God have helped me to appreci
ate that death is just a part of
life.” — Mary Rose Wolfe,
Pleasure Ridge Park, Ky.
“I wasn’t with my parents
when they died, but watching
the days leading up to their
deaths made death not so
frightening and made me more
accepting of death.” — Sister
Phyllis Wilhelm, OSF, Bayfield,
Wis.
An upcoming edition asks: Tell of an
ethical/moral principle that guides
your decisions. If you would like to
respond for possible publication,
please write: Faith Alive! 3211 Fourth
As. St. N.E., Washington, D.C.
r-/JX 20017-1100.