As we march forward into another month, we are again reminded of our mortality as we lay to rest another member and also the mother of one of our members. Since I wrote on this subject last month I was hesitant to go here again, but it struck me that death is the one thing we cannot escape.
Scripture is clear, “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” And “The wages of sin is death.” Yet, we strive our whole life to avoid it. I think it would be safe to say most of our economy is based on item and product used to extend life or to hold off death. Nearly everything we do focuses on enhancing life. We work to live.
Death is always in the background haunting us. To protect our sanity we focus on life. But this is just a ruse. We are still motivated by the struggle to avoid death. St. Paul says, “We face death all day long”. I get up in the morning and go to work so that I have a place to live and food to eat, so that I don’t die. I get in the car and I put the seat belt on so I that I don’t die. I stop at the red light so that I don’t die. I go to the doctor to stay healthy so that I don’t die. I exercise to stay healthy, so that I don’t die.
We are focused and drive to stay alive. So if the cause of death is sin wouldn’t it be better if we just stopped sinning? But we don’t. Often we embrace the sin and sin more even to the point of becoming reckless.
We have heard it before, “Jesus is the answer.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Instead of running from death Jesus aims for it. He claims it as his wage. He becomes our sin and is nailed to the cross. St. Paul says, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Scripture is clear, “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” And “The wages of sin is death.” Yet, we strive our whole life to avoid it. I think it would be safe to say most of our economy is based on item and product used to extend life or to hold off death. Nearly everything we do focuses on enhancing life. We work to live.
Death is always in the background haunting us. To protect our sanity we focus on life. But this is just a ruse. We are still motivated by the struggle to avoid death. St. Paul says, “We face death all day long”. I get up in the morning and go to work so that I have a place to live and food to eat, so that I don’t die. I get in the car and I put the seat belt on so I that I don’t die. I stop at the red light so that I don’t die. I go to the doctor to stay healthy so that I don’t die. I exercise to stay healthy, so that I don’t die.
We are focused and drive to stay alive. So if the cause of death is sin wouldn’t it be better if we just stopped sinning? But we don’t. Often we embrace the sin and sin more even to the point of becoming reckless.
We have heard it before, “Jesus is the answer.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Instead of running from death Jesus aims for it. He claims it as his wage. He becomes our sin and is nailed to the cross. St. Paul says, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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