I have just recently moved back to Yarmouth, N.S., for a while to be with my family. My father has being fighting cancer for six years and after four plus rounds of chemotherapy and a few experimental drugs; his body is tired of the fight. Since the beginning of Lent, I have had the opportunity to live out the way of the Cross in the supernatural realm that surrounds a soul in transition. My father is a very holy man, and in turn, those around him have no choice but to become holy. If we were to treat everyone as being indispensable to our lives, we would see that we ourselves become indispensable.
From my father’s sickness, I know what it feels like to be a member of the body of Christ. I have quietly watched as people have come forward each offering their humble services with no hope of repayment. I have watched people bring turkey dinners, others fill our house with flowers, others vacuum around me, and still others correct plumbing problems and shovel our driveway. All of this is done with such joy to be of service. When we spend our lives serving others, we are never at a loss; instead we are storing up treasure for the end of our lives and in heaven and I see this is precisely what my father has done for himself.
From this vantage point, I see that throughout my whole life, I have regarded death and grief as something ‘other’; something completely foreign and irrelevant to my life. When cancer came into my family, however, I became quickly aware not only the relevance of death but also its glory! I understand now that our whole lives should be spent serving those around us and preparing ourselves to meet Our Lord. Our life is merely a means to an end, not an end in itself! How often I have heard this said, but only now do I fully understand. Of course it is normal to be fearful of change, but death is not meant to be terrifying, for, it is the event that our soul longs for everyday!
In Saint Faustina’s diary Our Lord tells her: “Pray as much as you can for the dying. By your entreaties, obtain for them trust in My mercy, because they have the most need of trust, and have it the least. Be assured that the grace of eternal salvation for certain souls in their final moment depends on your prayer” . True to these words, my mother woke up one morning with the idea to open our doors every night for a community rosary. Every night at seven-thirty a different 30 to 40 people flock to our house to ask for Our Blessed Mother’s intercession. If there is one word to describe the atmosphere brought about through the praying of the rosary that word is peacefulness: a peace that transcends each individual’s place in their faith walk.
I have read many books on the saints. One thing I have always remarked is that their deaths are always extraordinary and always peaceful (even the martyrs!). I remember always thinking how beautiful it would be to be present at such a death because everyone would be so certain of the treasure awaiting the faithful soul. When we spend time with those who have great faith, we find ourselves becoming more faithful. Even in death, our work is not done. If anything, the impact of our faith on others increases dramatically as we near the end of our earthly lives.
At my dad’s bedside, I have seen hearts of stone crumble, perspectives change, and minds open with a few whispered words out of my father. I will never fail to see the value in suffering, again. We have a God who operates outside of time. Keeping in mind that this life is a speck in eternity; a grain of sand on a beach, the pain of this life is a small price to pay for not only one’s own salvation and eternal joy, but also, the salvation and eternal joy of others. Let us carry our crosses together this lent and remember that Jesus, God’s only Son, came to earth with the express purpose of suffering and dying for us. If suffering is God’s way of attaining salvation for the world, how much more then should we recognize its power to save!
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