Growing up, my mother and I attended Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.   There was never a reason to miss Mass.   My father, on the other hand, went to Church on Christmas and Easter.  He converted to Catholicism later in his life to marry my mother.   His RCIA experience consisted of one meeting with the priest, a cigar, and a pat on the back.  Growing up, I remember him telling me that there are only two things you must do in this life—die and pay taxes.  When I was younger, I did not know what either one was—especially taxes (I certainly do now).  However, on 28 April 1999, I quickly realized what it meant to die.   

When I was thirteen years old, my father died of a massive heart attack.   It was a shock to my system.  As the only child, I was thrust into a role I was not necessarily ready to be in—one I was unprepared for.  I had to be the “man of the house.”  Throughout those trying times, I held close to my faith.  About a week after his funeral, I remember opening my Bible and turning to St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 2:12.  It reads in part, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”  These words have stuck with me ever since.  This is what we must do to prepare for death.

The above quote from St. Paul is potentially an awkward theological passage, as it appears to promote the idea that we can accomplish our own salvation through our actions. This belief is called Pelagianism, which has been considered heresy since the Church’s earliest days. However, it appears safe to infer that St. Paul is not trying to stress that we need to earn salvation that we don’t already have, but rather, we need to work out what we already have.

Studying the end times, four last things, or Eschatology, helps us put our earthly existence into perspective.  As St. Augustine would say, due to the sin of our first parents, Adam & Eve, we are “not able to not die.”  Before the Fall, we were “not able to die.”  Death is a certainty.  It is a topic that is profound yet inevitable. As Christians, our perspective on death is deeply intertwined with our faith in the Resurrection and the eternal life promised by Christ.  “I am the resurrection and the life.”  These words are a beacon of hope for us. They remind us that death is not the end but a transition to a new and eternal life with God.

Death, for us, is a passage—a doorway to the fullness of life that God has prepared for those who love him. This is why St. Paul could confidently say, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). He understood that while our time on earth is precious, it is also temporary. Earth is not our home.  We are pilgrims trying to get back to our heavenly home.  Our true home is with God, where there is no more pain, suffering, or death. In death, we are called to trust in God's promises. Jesus himself faced death on the cross, and through his resurrection, he conquered it once and for all. His victory over death is our victory, too. This is the essence of our Christian hope—that death has been defeated and eternal life awaits us.

However, this hope also calls us to live purposefully and according to God's will. The Book of Wisdom reminds us: “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them” (Wisdom 3:1). To be counted among the righteous, we must strive to live a life of faith, love, and service to others. 

We honor our deceased loved ones by remembering their lives, the love they shared, and the faith they demonstrated. We pray for their souls, trusting in God's mercy and love. And we prepare ourselves for the day when we will stand before God, ready to enter the joy of eternal life.

As we reflect on death, let us not be consumed by fear or sorrow. Instead, let us embrace the hope that comes from our faith in Jesus Christ. Let us live each day with the awareness that our time on earth is a gift, and let us use it to grow closer to God and one another. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, who stood by her Son’s cross and experienced the pain of his death, intercede for us. May she help us remain steadfast in faith and filled with hope in the promise of eternal life.