Tuesday, August 18, 2020 –
Today we start digging deeper into each of the four last things, and we will start with DEATH.
Nobody likes to talk about death. It is the giant elephant with a flashing neon sign dancing in a technicolored tutu in the middle of the room that everyone politely ignores. However, death is not something to be feared, and it is most certainly something we should not ignore!
Death is the end of our earthly life, but it is only the beginning of our everlasting life.
Here is what the Catechism says about death: “Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ.” (CCC 1021)
Let’s break that down…
- Humans are comprised of body and soul.
- Because of original sin, death entered into the world. “Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
- It is your mortal body that dies “for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.” (Genesis 3:19)
- Your soul, however, is and remains immortal: “The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God – it is not “produced” by the parents – and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection.” (CCC 366)
- Baptism frees us from the stain of original sin: “By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin.” (CCC 1263)…
- …BUT we have free will and can choose to sin (personal sin) during our earthly life. Therefore, we must also choose to repent of our sins BEFORE the end of our earthly life (AKA death).
Here’s the kicker: only God knows the hour of our death, so we must be constantly vigilant and prepared to die. That is not a bad thing. What we really mean is that because we do not know the hour of our death, and since dying with mortal sins leads to hell, we should always take extra care during our earthly life to avoid sin and to seek the Sacrament of Penance if and when we do sin.
It is kind of like training for a big race. You don’t just show up on the day of the track meet having never run a single mile. No! You practice and run your little heart out as often as you can to make sure you do your absolute best.
So too must we also practice virtue and take care of our souls during our earthly life so that when we die we can be with God forever in heaven. Because, remembering back to our Baltimore Catechism:
6. Q. Why did God make you?
A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven. (BC#2)
Okay, tomorrow we are going to get seriously judgy!
Heart of Jesus, obedient to death, have mercy on us.
