Right to Die
He was there when Joseph died.
Word had reached him in time to return home,
to be a consoling presence to his mother,
his father, and those who would mourn his passing.
It can be clear that there is a time for death,
and this clarity comes
through the graces of faith, hope, and love
in many dimensions and expressions.
Perhaps recalling this experience is what brought
him to tears outside the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus.
It was a time when there were no words
but instead silence and numbness.
He was grateful to be there for them
and for himself, and for the glory of God
that shone so powerfully in this darkness,
and in the rituals of preparation and resolution –
anointings, confessions, crying, laughing,
holding hands, praying, and sitting empty.
Yes the silence of God was so very present at his father’s
death,
silence filled with compassion, hope, trust, and gratitude.
Returning to God the life God gave to the world
can be so very right.
Reflection and Prayer
Ask God for the grace to pray about your own death with openness, vulnerability and generosity. Imagine what it could be like. Where you will be, who will be with you, how Jesus will be present. Who would you ask for forgiveness and who would you forgive? What, if anything, would you fear? What do you most want about your death and how can you begin to prepare for it today?