The recent deaths of three American pop-culture icons seems to really have shocked our nation. I suppose the actual deaths did not so much as how relatively young they were when they died. Farah Fawcett was 62, Michael Jackson and Billy Mays were both 50. A lot of people seemed genuinely shocked that they had died at such a presumably early age. In this advanced age of medicine, technology and a fairly constant food supply, why does this happen? The average life span for Americans is in the mid-to-upper 70's. Sure there are those tragic accidents, murders, etc. but that doesn't happen to most people, right? So people are left shocked. This leads me to think of the many ways people try to extend their lives...even beyond the grave. There are special diets, pills, surgeries, and all sorts of other things available all with the goal of "extending" one's life a few years (which of course could be nullified instantly by not seeing that incoming car, etc.) There's even an option to be cyrogenically frozen like baseball great Ted Williams did so that perhaps at a later date, one can come back to life (which seems questionable if only science is involved). This of course is not a new phenomenon. The legend of the Fountain of Youth is an ancient one and many have tried to find it including the explorer Ponce de Leon as he wandered around what is now Florida and the South.
But what's the point of all this? It leads one to reflect on how hopeless a situation many people see themselves in during this life. For surely this life is all we have right? If I have no belief in any sort of afterlife, then what else is there? I just read an article on how teens are more reckless if they view they have no hope and expect their lives to end shortly. With no hope, then why not go out and go crazy? I've been reading NT Wright's Surprised by Hope and it has been a great reminder of how unique Christianity is not only in hope for the future, but also here on earth during our lives.
One of my favorite phrases (discovered in Medieval Philosophy) is "memento mori" which basically means "be mindful of dying." We don't know how long we have in this life. It is all in God's will and his ways are mysterious. Too often and too easily I find myself assuming that the next day will come as if it automatically has to come (even while always thanking God for each day in my prayers). Christ explicitly warns against this in the New Testament as he warns the rich fool, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" (Luke 12:20) There is also the passage about not making plans unless giving them over to God's will. But instead of heeding this, often we go on our merry way thinking nothing will happen to us, even while giving lip service to the second coming and God's will. Perhaps that is too harsh in most cases as I genuinely believe it is possible to believe these things, but due to their abstract (in our minds) faces, we cannot truly comprehend them. But still I would say, at least personally that often it leans towards ignorance, forgetfulness or lip service. But the fact that as Christians we have hope is at the heart of this rambling paragraph. Unlike many of our fellow citizens we need not be shocked to our core about death even when it seems too young and more importantly we can live every day for Christ and the kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment