BEADS OF JOY 03-26-19
“Lent – Day 18”
©2019 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
“Never Fear Death In This Life”
Lenten Season – Day 18
My Friends,
What is death? It is the burying of the mortal body into the
ground and a releasing of the immortal soul into eternal life. No one can
escape the claws of death; all of us will one day experience it. So, knowing
that we should be able to conquer the fear we may have of this, dying is a
natural part of living. Yes, it is sad, it can be horrible depending on how we
might die, but instantaneously upon the moment it occurs, our lives are forever
eternally changed. This is the one time we can and will be completely be
separated from this world. But with that knowledge we have such wisdom to gain.
That tells us, what happens here is temporal, and what happens here will
greatly affect where we will go for all eternity. Some may ask, "Do you
have a death wish? talking so boldly about death like it's nothing."
The only wish I have is that at my death that I get to be with Jesus in Heaven
for all eternity. For what other purpose of preparation do we have while we are
here? We have an infinite amount of interactions in our lives, all of which can
and could directly affect our eternal outcome.
Now do we want to take a chance and risk all eternity for the
pleasures of this world? That was a rhetorical question by the way. I would
hope that knowing the high stakes that are on the table that one wouldn't want
to risk losing it all. "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too
shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds
the power of death that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were
held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps,
but Abraham's descendants." Hebrews 2:14-16. We are all Abraham's
descendants. The power of death is gone, it no longer hangs over us keeping us
a prisoner unto it. Look at what St. Lawrence Justinian said, "All must
come to an end; and if when you die your soul is lost, all is lost for you
'Consider thyself as already dead,' knowing that thou must necessarily die' If
you were already dead, what would you not desire to have done? now that you are
alive, reflect that one day you must die." Wow, that was powerful;
it's the knowledge that is the key to our lack of fearing death. And in this
life with God's grace we have that knowledge.
Jesus paid the ultimate price for us, His love for us and our sins
placed Him on a cross; a cross that would kill His earthly body for only three
days. His death defeated all the horror that was waiting for us upon on our
death. He took down the walls of death and transformed those walls into the
path of eternity with Him in Heaven. By embracing death and understanding its
true meaning, we can be like Jesus; and have no fear of what the world can do
to us, because in the end we will be with Him. No one in this life has the
power to take us from Him, unless we allow it. The people and things of this
world only have the power to eternally destroy us, if we so chose to give them
that power. When death comes to us, all is over, everything we were doing and
planning ends. Our hearts and minds and souls need to be clean and pure before
God. We have been blessed with a most special sacrament, a sacrament that we
should embrace, for it is through confession that we are made clean before God,
a cleansing we need in order to enter Heaven.
Lent is a special time of preparation
for us, as we prepare for the Easter. Let's use this time to cleanse our souls
and get our lives in order and prepare for Jesus. I have found there is a
really straight to the point way to fully understand death and with God's
wisdom and love, you too can see what I am talking about. Have you ever been in
a cemetery before? I would suppose for pretty much for everybody that's a yes.
Well, that's the one place where you can't deny the ultimate effects of death;
it is there that you see names of family members and friends written on stone
tablets. It is there that I feel I can really talk to God sometimes. I know
He's there ministering to His children. It is there that I realize that in this
life what really matters. Is it the cars, the houses, the money, the lust, the pleasures?
No, No, No, No, No... It's the relationships that are solidified there. I
remember my grandma's, my aunts and uncles, dear Friends I grew up with, an old
neighbor I adopted as an uncle (Uncle
Mickey – aka: Michael Byrnes). It is there, that, what I do now, will end;
and that I to will be here one day.
Today's Challenge: Reality Check. Go to the cemetery visit family
and friends, pray for them while you are there, ask God to embrace them. Keep a
prayer journal, write our memories down, special prayers, etc. Talk to them,
telling them how much you love them, and how you miss them. The sorrow and love
you find in a cemetery holds much wisdom. Angela tells me how much peace she finds
in a cemetery, I get it, she is right. Allow God to open your heart and
understanding in your preparation for when it is your time. Death is a gateway,
not a box.
"God, Our Most Intimate
Friend"
Evenings with the Merciful Jesus
Evenings with the Merciful Jesus
LOVE
YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
Today is Tuesday: We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries:
The Sorrowful Mysteries
1. Agony on the Garden (Sorrow for sin) –Matt 26:36-46
2. Scourging at the Pillar (Purity) –Mark 15:1-16
3. Crowning with Thorns (Moral Courage) –Matt 27:27-31
4. Carrying of the Cross (Patience) –Mark 15:20-22
5. The Crucifixion (Perseverance) –Luke 23:33-46
Thank you Lord for loving us so much…
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
Today is Tuesday: We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries:
The Sorrowful Mysteries
1. Agony on the Garden (Sorrow for sin) –Matt 26:36-46
2. Scourging at the Pillar (Purity) –Mark 15:1-16
3. Crowning with Thorns (Moral Courage) –Matt 27:27-31
4. Carrying of the Cross (Patience) –Mark 15:20-22
5. The Crucifixion (Perseverance) –Luke 23:33-46
Thank you Lord for loving us so much…
Rosary Man Jim’s Sorrowful Reflection: http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-sorrowful-mysteries_11.html
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