Bonovox

Death seems to ne a theme in the past year.  Ck it out:

• The Roman Catholic Pope seems to be on his deathbed as I write.
• Terry Schiavo finally succumbed to starvation and dehydration a few days ago, a result of having her feeding tube yanked by her husband.  Now the battle will be over her husband wanting to cremate her, against the wishes of her devout Roman Catholic family
• My friend Brian died at the young age of 39 (short by a week actually) in January, leaving a wife and two young boys. 
• My friend Michael Sullivan, a reader in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia passed away in the fall.
• A friend on the police dept. ended his own life, shortly before Christmas
• The death of our family friend, and fellow parishioner Jeanette (Grandma Jan) last Spring.
• The death of my long time companion and pet, the Springer Spaniel Mickey, the week of my birthday.

I know there is more that I am missing.

I find it ironic and comforting, that these events (Schiavo and the pope) have occurred while the Western Christian churches celebrate the Resurrection, and while we Eastern Orthodox gear up for our celebration in a couple of weeks.

We are all "marching to the grave," and will become "food for worms," should our Lord tarry.  As a child and young man, I was not touched to closely by death.  While my uncle, who I revered, passed away at the young age of 29, to the scourge of cancer, he lived in FL, and I only saw him a few times a year.  The same for my 4 Great-grandparents who passed away in the '80's.

That fact, coupled with the prosperity teaching I received (and was attracted to of course), led to a very shallow view of the world, and a real arrogance in my personality.  I am heartily sorry for that.  I know I have offended many, and caused harm by my "I have all the answers" mentality.  But the biggest one I harmed, was myself.

Taking a few verses out of context ("I know the plans I have for you, for good not for evil."  "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." etc.), I viewed any suffering as a rebuke by God, and as a failure by myself.  It was evidence that I did not pray enough, or have enough faith.

But the reality of the Gospel, is a Cross.  Christ asks us to take up ours, and follow Him.  How could I have missed that?  What did I think it meant?  Christ suffered physically, and had mental anguish the night before his passion, knowing what it was He had to suffer.  Is the servant greater then the Master?  I know, that my salvation (and perhaps those around me) is dependent upon my accepting my Cross, in the same way He accepted His.  That is "priesthood."  That is "salvation."  That is the way of joy, and the way of peace.

We are all going to die (should the Lord tarry).  We are all going to suffer.  Instead of fighting that fact, should we not rather embrace it?  I am amazed at the stories of the Christian martyrs, how they not only went to their deaths willingly....they went with joy!  And that is why it said the "Gospel is watered with the blood of the martyrs."  Christianity, unlike Islam, was not spread by the sword.  (yes, people have tried it, but it does not work)  Christianity rather, spread when it was persecuted, and when the Christians embraced that persecution.  What a contrary way to look at it?

I am currently reading St. John Climacus' Ladder of Divine Ascent for my Lenten reading.  He states in there in his chapter on Obedience, that any day that you do not get to suffer some scorn and derision, is a day wasted!  While this is a mystery to me, I do kind of see what he is saying.  But instead, I seek praise and comfort.  My salvation rests upon scorn, and suffering.

My prayers are with the pope, as he attempts to embrace his suffering.  Some commentator, said these days, when he can hardly administrate, are really the greatest days of his papacy.

My prayers are also with the departed, Terry Schiavo.   May her death be like the nuns of Compiegne, whose sacrificial deaths, resulted in the end of the "Reign of Terror," and Robspiere himself, dyeing on that same scaffold 3 days later.

I pray for the soul of Brian.  May his ministry of Love, for today's young people, carry on the lives he touched.  May God be with Mendy and the boys.

I pray Andrea Sullivan, The Salhany family,  The Donvon family, and all who grieve and all who suffer.  May God grant us the grace, to truly take up our cross and follow Him.