Death is the ultimate act of surrender. Are we handing ourselves over to the care of someone who loves us? Or passing into nothingness?

Pope Francis says:

We are all small and defenceless before the mystery of death, but what a grace if at that moment we keep in our heart the flame of faith!

Death is a great mystery. None of us knows for certain what will happen to us (if anything) after we die. We do know that death is not optional. Since we must pass from this life someday, why not trust in the love and mercy of God? Why not embrace “the flame of faith” entrusted to us by our parents and those who gave the faith to them? Why not believe that we are handing ourselves over to the care of someone who loves us rather than passing into a great void of nothingness?

Heaven is not a place. It is the state of being with God. (Hell is the opposite—being without the God of love forever.) God invites us to communion with him eternally. We have no idea what that means except that is surely beats the alternatives—separation from God or utter emptiness forever. 

So, as always, we’re invited to choose life over death. We are all small and defenseless before the mystery of death, but what a grace if at that moment we surrender with a heart full  of hope—entrusting ourselves to the boundless love and mercy of someone who knows us by name and welcomes us to our heavenly home!