Dear Brothers and Sisters,

November is when the Church focuses Her prayers for our beloved deceased brothers and sisters. During this month, the names of our parishioners who have died this past year will be displayed to honor and remember them. November is also an fitting time to reflect “the four last things” - death, judgement, heaven, and hell. The theological word for this type of reflection is called eschatology, which literally means the “knowledge of the last things.”

Death is the first of the four last things because it is the door through which one must pass before the judgment. The Catholic doctrine speaks of particular judgment is this: that immediately after death the eternal destiny of each separated soul is decided by the just judgment of God. Everyone must experience particular judgment before determining the eternal outcome of either heaven or hell. The passage from Sacred Scripture says in Romans:“They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge people’s hidden works through Christ Jesus” (Romans 2:15-16).

How did we get here? Death is a consequence of original sin. Because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, sin entered the world resulting ultimately in destruction and death. But Christ conquered death by taking death on Himself. By our sin, we deserved death, but Christ bore the penalty of sin and transformed death as the means of attaining eternal life. We celebrate Christ’s triumph over death on Easter Sunday, the day of His Resurrection.

Prior to Easter Sunday, there had to be a Good Friday where we acknowledge Christ’s suffering and death known as the Passion of Our Lord. No Good Friday means no Easter Sunday. You cannot have one without the other. The Paschal Mystery is God's plan of salvation which was ultimately fulfilled through four events in Christ's life. His Passion (his suffering and crucifixion), death, Resurrection, and Ascension were all part of God’s plan for salvation. We, His disciples, must also undergo death to receive a share in His Resurrection.

Death, while a part of life, can be a fearful thing for many people. First, for the one who is dying, what comes after death is not entirely clear because “eye has not seen…”. Death also brings with it a sense of loss and grief for those who experience the death of a loved one. It can be tempting to try to ignore, suppress, or the deny sadness that comes with death. But the process of grieving is one of the most human things we can do. We grieve because we love. Losing a loved one is painful, and there is nothing wrong with allowing ourselves to feel that pain and respond to it in appropriate measure and in appropriate ways.

Perhaps the most damaging thing our culture says is “don’t be sad, don’t cry, be strong, be cheerful! Celebrate the person’s life!” But as the Book of Ecclesiastes tells us, “There is a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” We must not skip the time to mourn on the way to dancing, but accept that mourning is a part of life, and allow ourselves to experience mourning as painful as that may be at times.

Suffering is often underrated and can be confusing. While we do what we can to avoid suffering, suffering may lead a person to experience of the nearness of Christ. Our Lord knows our pain and gathers every one of our tears. In Sacred Scripture, Our Lord experienced the death of His friend Lazarus. He knew he would raise Lazarus from the dead, but He still grieved over Lazarus’ death. Our Lord also knew that the promise of eternal life would be given to all who believed in Him, yet Our Lord wept. Similarly, Our Blessed Mother experienced profound grief. She did not know original sin. Mary didn’t commit any sin. Mary’s faith was the purest of anyone who ever lived and her faith told her she would see her Son rise from the dead. Yet, Mary grieved over Her Son deeply.

When we encounter mourning and grief, let us be consoled in the knowledge that Christ, His Blessed Mother, the Angels, and Saints accompany us in our grief and gives us hope in the Resurrection. While death is a fearful thing for us on a natural level and a cause for grieving, it is also, for those with faith, a moment that can be comforted and transformed by one’s hope in Christ. “Life is changed, not ended,” says the Preface of Masses for the Faithful Departed. This promise from Our Lord is the hope of all the faithful and a reminder of the promise of eternal life.

To be continued…

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline

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