Friday's thoughts

What do we do with the fact that we will die? How do we face this most obvious fact of life? So much religion is set up to deny death or become preoccupied with it. Is there some alternative?

I think there is an alternative and I think it begins with two important realizations:

First of all when we talk about death and what lies beyond death we speak in a poetic language. We use words that convey a deeper truth that definitions can create. We speak of heaven as an ongoing state of being similar to life on earth (only the best). We are using poetic language to affirm our faith that there is something beyond our live that will outlast our death. We wish to know there is meaning in our living and meaning in our dying.

We speak of golden streets and living in God's presence. We think of heaven as having "many rooms" where Jesus said he goes and prepares a place for us.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross heard from people who experienced death and came back for the dead that there was a golden threat and a long tunnel and loved ones waiting at the end of the tunnel.

None of us knows and we will not know until we die but the poetic language gives us a way to speak of it and to find comfort in thinking that there is something beyond this life.

Secondly, death has to be understood in a personal way. God is present to us when we die. Something of our legacy lives on after we die. God is present and there is something of significance at our passing. Our life was not lived in vain.

We can face death as long as we know that it mattered that we lived and it makes a difference that we are not present.

Death is something we all must learn to face. One way or another we come to terms with our limits and our finite existence.

I think the poetic language and the sense of the person is a helpful way to understand death.

What do you think?
Do you have thoughts on this? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read what you have written to me click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles