Oh death, where is your sting?

"For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord."

Roman 8:38-39

Death. For some people this word causes fear; it causes a sense of despair and hopelessness. For some people, however, it causes a sense of hope, a longing for Heaven the Homeland. The idea of dying for a soul without faith, must be an incredibly depressing idea. The finality of life coming to an abrupt end with no further existence, how disturbing. Yet this could not be further away from the Truth. Just because people don't believe in God doesn't mean He isn't real. Just because people don't believe that there is no Heaven, hell or purgatory doesn't mean that they don't exist. Just because I've never seen the Eiffel Tower in person doesn't mean it isn't there. Truth is simply not an opinion. And what is Truth? Truth is a person and that person is Jesus Christ; "every one who is of Truth hears My voice." John 18:37

Why is it that a soul can hope to attain Heaven? Are we not all sinners and all have the debt of sin? Who can buy a ransom for his soul? It's simply unattainable. We cannot of ourselves be justified before God. Without understanding our total helplessness can one understand the perfect Gift the God-man made of Himself to save mankind. God did not create death. Adam and Eve through doubting God's goodness and believing the deceptive devil Satan's lie did death enter into the thread of mankind. The Father was saddened by the distrust of His children, a Father who was only good and loving toward them; the "loneliest cry in all of the Bible" is when the Father sought for Adam to converse and spend time him. Yet, believing a lie Adam hid himself from the Father's loving call. God wanted union with His creatures, and desiring to redeem the fallen race doomed to eternal death because of the disobedience of one man, He sent His perfect and sinless Son to live and to die to obtain justification for all.

What greater love is there? That a holy and perfect God who needs no one and nothing, who is completely sufficient and happy in Himself, would choose to condescend and become human to live in poverty, obedience and be at the service of men for 33 years; who then allowed Himself to be subjected to the most ignominious death for our sake. He was the perfect and spotless Lamb, sacrificed on Calvary to obtain remission for sin and justification for souls.

We can therefore hope to attain Heaven and the debt of sin is paid for. We can now be justified before the pure and holy Triune God, not of ourselves but by the shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Our salvation is a free gift; St. Paul in the book of Romans writes "But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many." It is true we are all sinners, but if we confess our sins and beg the Lord for His Mercy, His irresistible Love will be poured into our hearts.

So, death is not the end but rather the beginning. It is the birth of a new era, a new life without beginning or end. Our humble and meek God's desire is the salvation of all souls, the purposes of His Heart from all generations is to reconcile souls to God. "I wish every soul to understand that I am awaiting her. That beyond this life a boundless love awaits her, and that she must hasten... must purify herself to meet Love, and let that be her one object."

May His mighty and precious blood be our sure defense on judgement day.

"He gives life and immortality and eternal glory to those who follow and serve Him. He confers a benefit on His servants in return for their service and on His followers in return for their loyalty, but He receives no benefit from them. He is rich, perfect and in need of nothing. The reason why God requires service from man is this: because He is good and merciful He desires to confer benefits on those who persevere in His service. In proportion to God's need of nothing is man's need for communion with God."

St. Paul, pray for us.

Notes:

Against heresies by: Saint Irenaeus

Words of Love

by: Sister Consolata Betrone