Sans sting.I'm sorry to say that I didn't find John Garvey's article on death very helpful. I don't agree that "where death and an afterlife are concerned, most Christians are functionally neo-Platonists." Nor do I agree that in much of our writing and preaching about death there is "an implicit denigration den·i·grate tr.v. den·i·grat·ed, den·i·grat·ing, den·i·grates 1. To attack the character or reputation of; speak ill of; defame. 2. of the body and the flesh." Catholics look forward to being with their family and their ancestors when they die. They look forward to going home, having a beer with the old gang, going fishing. In my years as a priest, I have observed a vibrant faith unafraid of death due, I believe, to the way the church cultivates a horizon of bright hope, "filled," as Paul says, "with an exultant trust in God." Their faith is that Jesus' death has changed the very nature of dying, and they do a fine job of seeing the reality of death and resurrection in the Scripture and in the liturgies surrounding dying and death. Garvey writes that "Christianity is not meant to reconcile us with death, but to see it for the horror it is." To that and to his "no one who has loved anyone or anything in life can find the idea of leaving life anything but tragic," I say rubbish! With Paul we view death through the clear lens of a profound and all pervasive hope. Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death. "Death is swallowed up in victory. Death where is your sting?" Garvey seems to want to keep both the law and the sting. Yes, Christ cried out in desperate fear at his dying, but every death since his awesome sacrifice happens in the new creation. As Hebrews says, Jesus' "experience of death should benefit all humanity." We view death not as those before Christ before Christ adv. Abbr. B.C. or b.c. In a specified year of the pre-Christian era. Adv. 1. , but through Christ, which makes all the difference. JACK MORRIS, SJ Rockaway Rockaway, narrow peninsula, c.10 mi (16 km) long, SW Long Island, SE N.Y., in Queens borough of New York City. Separating Jamaica Bay from the Atlantic Ocean and isolated from the rest of New York City, the densely populated peninsula owes its growth to road and rail , Ore. The author replies: Having a beer with the old gang? Going fishing? This is the "I'll have my very own pony in heaven" school of thought. The law has nothing to do with it, but the sting always will. There is bad theology at the heart of Pollyanna Christianity, and a confirmation that atheism atheism (ā`thē-ĭz'əm), denial of the existence of God or gods and of any supernatural existence, to be distinguished from agnosticism, which holds that the existence cannot be proved. is right to laugh at pie-in-the-sky-when-we-die. Jesus' agony at Gethsemane Gethsemane (gĕthsĕm`ənē), olive grove or garden, E of Jerusalem, near the foot of the Mount of Olives. In the Gospels, it is the scene of the agony and betrayal of Jesus. means something to us precisely because it is our own. He did not say, "If you would be my followers, forget about the cross.... I've taken care of that." The last words Last words are a person's final words before death. For a list of well known last words, see or use the link at right. Last words may refer to:
tr.v. a·noint·ed, a·noint·ing, a·noints 1. To apply oil, ointment, or a similar substance to. 2. To put oil on during a religious ceremony as a sign of sanctification or consecration. 3. him "fled ... for trembling trembling visible muscle tremor caused by fever, fear, weakness, electrolyte imbalance, especially hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia, and neuromuscular disease. trembling disease and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid." They weren't crazy. JOHN GARVEY |
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