Die and rise daily

1 Corinthians 15:51-58

              Almost twenty years ago I was standing next to my severely ill mother in the hospital. She was facing a relatively simple procedure (famous last words) which she had no interest in having performed. This simple procedure would help solve some of her medical problems, perhaps stabilize the situation. I told her how simple it was and that if she did not have it done she would likely die.  She turned to me and stated quite frankly that she was in fact ready to meet her maker, she was prepared to die.  A very difficult thing to say to anyone but harder still to hear.

           There is always a sting to death especially to those that are left behind dealing with the human emotions of loss of physicality and love in action. I'd like to focus on the sting we feel when we are near death.  We are very acquainted with the concept of someone saying that they are afraid to die. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her ground breaking work On Death and Dying (1969) deals with the stages of dying we all go through to one degree or another. Acceptance and welcoming the transition would be the last stage I am sure. I honestly could not quote her work accurately though after so many years.

            What allows us to welcome death as a normal part of life?  One could argue that faith gives you a leg up on the process. While still having to say good bye to loved ones, you know you will be held in the loving arms of your creator, much like the moment before you were conceived when God decided that what the world needed was you and exactly you. That may not make it all that much easier though, I am sure Jesus' agony in the garden had something to do with his humanity and having to part in a physical, human way, from his friends, disciples, his love and his mother.

           What I would suggest makes it easier is to make dying a normal part of your life.  The transition or growth in life as I posed yesterday is constant dying and constant rebirth.  I have spoken in the past about people that we deem crotchety old forks, people that have died mentally and emotionally in their 40 or 50's a and yet their bodies have lived on for years beyond, out of touch with reality and never adjusting to the world around them. It is said that eduction is a life long process and it is non dissimilar to the concept of constantly dying and rising. Learning new things, dying to old concepts, old ways of doing things and seeing things.  

        As  a gay person who must come to terms with our own sexuality in a world that often finds it troubling and sinful, you must learn to die to your old self and rise to a new life of simply "who you are". You die perhaps to a hidden life, you die to obfuscations and lies, you rise to a life of openness and love. Sometimes that may mean dying to an old family and rising to life in a new one. Perhaps being gay also gives you a leg up on the process this of dying and rising.

             Jesus' life certainly challenged many many people. He was a rebel and a revelutionary. He challenged the status quo and asked us to love our enemies, reach out to the marginalized and open our hearts and minds to all.  If we embrace his life as a concept and further accept the Resurrection in all it's glory, we can easily live our lives dying and rising day after day. In small ways and major ways we can die to ourselves and rise to glory in Christ long before we are called to give our last breath in our human shells when we will meet our maker.

          

Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
‘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, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.