“It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit. - John 19:30 

Death is always a painful experience. It is the moment when life comes to an ultimate end. It is the hour when a person is cut off from the world of the living. It means that between the dead and the living, comes a distance which goes beyond the farthest point of this earth. When death comes, it’s all over for the person this side of life. 

Let us admit there is something final in death which frightens us. No matter how miserable one’s life may have been, death appears always terrifying. Life is simply too enticing to end in death. But our faith teaches us that death is the necessary passage to eternal life. Jesus himself said, “Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24).

Fear of death is indeed inherent to man. Yet, such fear may be dispelled even as one’s hope for much more beautiful life increases. And if such hope is founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that by His own death on the cross, He won for us everlasting life. If we will abide by our faith, as Jesus commanded, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23), we will gain the promise of salvation. Only then, death will cease to be frightening. To those who have come to a much matured sense of faith, death even becomes something to welcome for, a moment to leave this hapless world to take our promised place with the Almighty Creator. We come to realise then that death would breakdown the wall that separates us from God, Who is the source of absolute happiness and of eternal life itself. 

We otherwise are aware that having “unpaid debts” in this life should make us tremble at the thought of death. It is hence terrifying because it ushers us to that place where full justice must be rendered. The fear of death is directly proportional to the sins committed in this lifetime. With greater “debt” comes the greater terror for death. When our respective time comes, the soul will be led to the halls of Divine justification where only the truth shall prevail. And each will eventually face God’s justice. In the awareness that in this life, justice is either imperfect or altogether absent, the evil man seems to thrive better than the good, as Jesus warned, “the sons of darkness are more shrewd than the children of light.” (Luke 16:8). This surely cannot last forever, as cited in scripture, “For justice will prevail and the righteous will be vindicated.” (Psalm 94:15). 

Somewhere, sometime, Divine justice will prevail. Good will triumph over evil and death shall be completely engulfed by eternal life through the merits of Jesus Christ, Whose passion and death freed us from eternal damnation. Let it be so! 

Dan Quetulio Brizuela 

Good Friday 2024