Year of Faith Reflection Corner

I believe in Eternal Life. . . Recently I was talking with a devout Jewish friend, who told me her family did not believe that there was a life after death, and how hard it would be to say good-bye to her husband when it was his time to go. They are both in their 80's. I was stunned; I guess I never thought about people who are believers in God not believing in life after death, a life with  God. How blessed we are who believe in eternal life, who know we will be welcomed by our God, Who is all Love, and Who will love us for all eternity, time without end, forever and ever.

I believe it was Saint Augustine who said, “We are afraid of dying but not afraid of death.”  Dying can be frightening, probably having to suffer through a last illness, and maybe suffering also doubts about exactly what we will find, maybe even wondering IF we will find anything - the devil’s last attempt at attacking our faith. But Christ has promised, and He keeps His promises - “Whoever lives in me and I in Him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him.” Are there more consoling words in the Bible than those - consolation for us when we lose a loved one, consolation for ourselves when we are facing our own mortality!

To see once again all our loved ones who have gone before us, to know complete peace, complete joy, happiness without end - and never being bored and looking for something more exciting, more interesting. What we will have and see and experience will be all we could ever have imagined or desired, only more! Just being in the presence of our wonderful God, what is called the Beatific Vision, will be joy beyond our wildest expectations.

Yes, the day we die is the day we live for - and I believe - with all my heart - in Eternal Life.

-Sr. Maureen of the Eucharist, OP