Are we afraid of death? “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Our lives should both embrace and reflect the glory and power of our God. Jesus, our bread of life, satisfies our hunger and thirst (Jn. 6:35) so that we can experience real enthusiasm as we celebrate the gift and journey of our lives. But do we have the same peace and trust facing our death as we do celebrating life? We will all die, but do we fear it or face it confidently? In the ancient world, Romans and Vikings had a mindset that their lives and the moments of death were all determined by the fate of the gods. As believers in Christ, we are a people of faith and not fate. The resurrection of Jesus gives meaning to our lives and hope at the moment of death. Stephen embraced his death by imitating Jesus in surrendering his spirit and exercising forgiveness (Acts 7:59-60). Today, live in faith and don’t fear death. Lord Jesus, You speak us into life and, even more wondrously, call us into eternal life. May our lives honour You so that through death, we may spend eternity with You. Amen.

READINGS

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042820.cfm