Today’s question might be considered under the topic of science fiction. My question is: If you could see your future, would you want to? Would you want to know, for sure, what the economy is going to look like in six months, or a year from now? Would you want to know, for sure, what is going to happen in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan? Do you really want to know exactly when and how you are going to die? Yes, if you could see your own future, would you really want to?
I said my question comes under the topic of science fiction. A lot of sci-fi we see on television this season deals with knowing about the future, and, perhaps, about how and when the characters are going to die. Many of you realize I’m a fan of “Lost” and I am looking forward to the final season, when everything will be made clear. (I hope!)
This desire of wanting to see the future usually goes beyond merely knowing with certainty what stocks to invest in, although there are many who would settle for such knowledge. For many people, the question really involves the basic, human concern: when am I going to die? How am I going to die? Can I do anything to prevent it from happening?
Death and dying might be the central question concerning our individual lives, even if it is not a question we’re prone to discuss in our modern society. However, there are several inter-relatable issues prompting me to consider the subject of death and dying for today’s homily.
First of all, there is the final topic which the Archdiocese has asked we try to incorporate within our October homilies regarding the “Dignity of Humanity.” This diocesan handout will be found as an insert in the bulletin for this weekend. The title of this insert is: Assisted Suicide: Death by Choice? This handout presents some thoughts about so-called “assisted suicide,” which is legal in several states, and the Catholic Church’s view that assisted suicide is never a choice. It is an absolute wrong. You can read the brochure on this topic for yourself.
However, when you read this article, I hope you’ll keep in mind the vast difference between assisted suicide and other end-of-life issues, such as family discussions with loved ones about medical treatment and prolonging physical life, or discussions about hospice care during our last days on earth. These are events each one of us must face. It’s appropriate we do not face them alone, but share them with those we love.
In addition, I want to address the general issue of death for a second reason. As Catholics, we may have a unique view on death and dying. That view is demonstrated by the fact we devote an entire month to a liturgical celebration of death. Next Sunday is November 1st. It’s the feast of “All Saints.” And the following day, November 2nd, we celebrate “All Souls Day.” During the entire month of November, we will have the “Book of Life” placed next to our Baptismal font, and we’ll invite all those who have experienced the death of a family member or friend during the past year to inscribe the name of the deceased person in this “Book of Life.” These friends and relatives can be remembered in the prayers of this community in a special way throughout the entire month of November.
It’s our view, as given in the teachings of the Church, that we form a single Community of Saints. In classic theological terms, there is the union of the Church Militant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Triumphant. We, all of us gathered here today, are the living saints on earth, the “Church Militant,” fighting it out (if you will) against evil and for the kingdom of God, here and now. This kingdom consists of the rich and the poor, the well-fed and the hungry, those who live in comfortable homes and those who exist huddled in cardboard boxes under the overpasses of Houston.
We also remember those who have died and are not yet experiencing a complete union with God, but are undergoing a momentary period in eternity for purification in order to unite completely with the Oneness of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These people compose the “Church Suffering,” for whom we offer our prayers at all times, but especially during the month of November.
And then, there are the recognized and un-recognized saints in heaven – those who are now completely united with the Oneness of the Trinity for all of eternity. Those men, women and children whose intercessions we seek in our own prayers with them are, indeed, the “Church Triumphant.”
As Christians, we believe there is eternal life after physical death. At least once a week, at every mass, we proclaim we believe in the Resurrection of the Dead. As Catholic Christians we believe physical human-life begins with conception and ends with our natural death. We believe the dignity of the human person exists at every moment of this period of living out the gifts of God. Life, itself, is a gift, not a choice. The only choices we have are how we live out the gift of life given by God and returned to God.
There is another reason why today is an opportune time to look at concerns involving death and dying. These concerns, in part, reside in today’s Gospel reading. Here we have a blind man, Bartimaeus, one who is not the same as the man who had been born blind. This blind man is a beggar who tosses aside all his possessions, which really is only a single possession, the cloak which protects him from the elements, the cloak which keeps him warm throughout the night so that he can live another day, another sightless day, begging for his daily bread.
It is Bartimaeus who cannot see Jesus passing by Jericho’s gate, but who can hear the crowds speaking about this Jesus of Nazareth. It is Bartimaeus who calls out to Jesus: “Son of David, have pity on me.” It is Bartimaeus who, in reply to Jesus’ question, “What do you want me to do for you?” says, “Master, I want to see.” It is Bartimaeus who hears the words, “… your faith has saved you.” and then, with restored sight, follows the Master.
The question Jesus asked the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, is the same one he asks each and every one of us: “What do you want me to do for you?” Each one of us has an individual response. We may think we, unlike Bartimaeus, have all we want, as well as all we need. Nevertheless, we may still desire a new, red Lamborghini. Some may want a complete restoration of their retirement funds. And others may want to know what life holds in store for them. A few may want to know when and how they will die.
Yes, there are those of us who want to see material things. There are others who want to see the future. We do not differ from the Israelites held in captivity in Babylon, the ones we heard about in our first reading for today from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. They, too, wanted to know what the future held for them, what they could look forward to.
The prophet Jeremiah, who is not the most upbeat of the prophets of Israel, encouraged them to “… shout for joy … [to] exult … [to] proclaim your praise …” Jeremiah told them of the promises of the Lord God who spoke about their ultimate future with the words: “I will bring them back [to Jerusalem.] I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst, the mothers and those with child, they shall return as an immense throng. They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them; I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble.”
Yes, the Lord God promised his people he would lead them to salvation. He promised them that their future is not bleak. And our Lord has promised us the same future with his words: “Go your way, your faith has saved you.” Yes, our Lord has given us hope, even when we approach him in our blindness, in our not being able to see clearly either the present or the future. It is while we are blind that we, too, may call out: “Master, I want to see.” The question is: do you see life and physical death as the end of everything? Or do you see life and death as God’s gifts to us. The gifts of the Kingdom of God, which is now – and forever. [Amen.]
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time; October 25, 2009
Jer 31: 7-9; Heb 5:1-6; Mk 10:46-52