Death and life

During the past few days, the news has been focused on the deaths of two very famous people who are being mourned by millions: one died suddenly, the other after years of medical struggles.

Both died too young.

In the midst of this talk of death comes today’s first reading (Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24) which speaks about death with jarring simplicity.

God did not make death,
nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.

For he fashioned all things that they might have being;
and the creatures of the world are wholesome,
and there is not a destructive drug among them
nor any domain of the netherworld on earth,
for justice is undying.

For God formed man to be imperishable;
the image of his own nature he made him.

But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,
and they who belong to his company experience it.

God created us to live: ultimately, to live eternally.

Yet, because of sin, humanity is not only out of sync with God, but also out of sync with Creation, so that we do indeed find the earth full of destructive substances and deadly dangers.

Through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the way to eternal life has been opened to us and although we may yet have to suffer physical death and many other things, by His grace we ultimately can be blessed to experience the life and the joy that will have no end.

May we continually repent and be continuously faithful by the grace of Christ.