Living Toward Death
We
treat as part of our identity our relation to the day of our birth; annually we
celebrate our birthday. And so we look back upon the years, and watch the
numbers add up. But the more important number is quite invisible to us, though
we may know it is there. It is the count-down to our deathday. In this
diminishing figure meaning is given to our present choices and actions, for
when the number reaches zero, our opportunity to choose what kind of person we
will be is over. We cannot prepare for our birthday, but all of our life, no
matter how short or long, is a preparation for our deathday. How then should we
prepare for this day? All the religions of the world have recognized that in
the life to come, we will be rewarded according to our deeds, whether good or
evil. No one escapes justice. All the secrets of our hearts will be brought to
light in "the day when God shall judge the secrets of men." (Rom 2:16) "All things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Heb 4:13) What we sow, we shall reap, whether in this life or the next.
Throughout history we see examples of people who came to understand how to live toward death. Sometimes they are called saints, other times heroes. They all realized that today is the day of salvation.[1]
Zacchaeus came to this realization while eating with Jesus. He said,
"Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any
thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." Jesus
responded with the word "Today", saying, "Today salvation has
come to this house". Jesus describes Zacchaeus's response to the
realization of the significance of his approaching death as 'salvation'. The
response to this realization is also called 'repentance'. Living toward death
involves a very deep respect for justice. This is why the penitent seeks now to
pay back what he owes for his injustices, trying to make right what he has
wronged, restore what he has broken, heal what he has injured, and mend what he
has torn. For justice cometh.
And
in truth it is ultimately Justice itself with whom the penitent seeks to be
reconciled, even if merely by asking for mercy. For the penitent recognizes
that refusing to hide from justice is not embracing a mere abstraction, but an
actual Judge, the Being to whom we all owe our being, the Creator from whom in
shame our first parents attempted to hide. To live toward death is not only to
love one's neighbor as oneself, but to love God with all one's heart, soul,
mind and strength. This is why the one loving God overcomes the fear of death
and judgment. Living toward death is, for him, living toward God. Death for him
is but a homecoming to the welcoming company of all those who have come before him who have loved justice and hated evil, to the embrace of the Father who
even now eagerly awaits us and is counting the days to our death, or more properly, to our entrance into eternal life.[2]
BRC
April
19, 2007