Living and dying for Christ

Good News ReflectionThursday of the 31st Week in Ordinary TimeNovember 5, 2009
Today's Readings:Rom 14:7-12Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14Luke 15:1-10http://www.usccb.org/nab/110509.shtmlUSCCB Podcast of the Readings:http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_11_05.mp3
Living and dying for Christ
Saint Paul says in today's first reading that while we're alive on earth, we're to live for the Lord, and when we die, we should die still serving him, even with our final breaths.
As Christians who are serious about holy living, we put great emphasis on living for the Lord, but are we ready to die for the Lord? In service to others?
Dying for Jesus doesn't always mean martyrdom. We could whither away in a nursing home with dementia stealing our ability to think and still die a holy death. Dying as a servant of God means that our souls make good use of the dying process. Every moment of our life, including our last one, should be lived for the glory of God and the purposes of his kingdom. Everything else is a waste of important opportunities.
We should be glad that we're going Home to the Lord. Death is our door from earth to heaven (which includes purgatory, the purging of whatever remains with us after death that cannot exist in the kingdom of God). But our deaths can mean so much more.
I want every moment of my life to be lived for God, in God, and through God. I want every day to make a difference in his kingdom. And I want my death to make no less of a difference, so I've put him in charge of how, when and where it happens. I pray that if I become demented and no longer understand my surroundings, even then my soul will remain aware of God and I will use the time to pray for others.
If we suffer in dying, we can ask that our suffering be united with Christ's Passion for the sake of those who still need his redemption. If nothing else, we can ask that our death be so peaceful, no matter how deteriorated our health becomes, that it evangelizes those who watch.
What about the people who don't have this attitude? In today's Gospel reading, Jesus talks about the shepherd who seeks a lost sheep until it's found. A lost sheep is anyone who belongs to Jesus but isn't following him with the rest of the flock or has run away enticed by the unholy ways of the world. Because you know someone like this, remember the promise of this scripture. Pray for this person like so: "Lord Jesus, don't let -(name)- die until he/she is ready to be found by You." This prayer always gets answered!
Jesus WILL keep seeking and calling upon that person. He will not give up. Because your prayers are united with the prayers of Jesus himself, the Father will not allow death to come before Jesus is holding that person safely in his arms. It might happen at the moment of death, or perhaps sooner, but it WILL happen.
I've witnessed this in someone who's mind was lost to Alzheimer's disease. Even in the brain-fog of this disease, he opened himself to God's love during the last two weeks of his life. God is awesome! He always keeps his promises!
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