HOW TO THINK OF DEATH

APPROACHES TO DEATH

We have two ways of considering the reality of death:

We can look at death in the “educational” perspective, that is, in such a way that death teaches us something valuable. This method is also known as sapiential method of looking at death, because here we are concerned about the wisdom (in Latin, sapientia) behind death. We find this approach in the Bible but we also find it in philosophy, the teachings of other religions and in poetry. They too, look for the meaning of death or the meaning behind the event of death.

Based on our experience of death in our families, for example, we are forced to ask what the passing away of a head of the family, or of a cherished child, means for those who are left behind.

Another way of looking at death is the “mysterious” perspective. This is also called the paschal approach to death, and is exclusive to Christianity. The word “paschal” refers to the events the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore here, we try to see death according to the mystery of the Lord’s teachings, life, suffering, and victory over death. Originally, "paschal" here refers to the "passover" experience of Israel (their escape from Egypt to the Promised Land; the angel of the Lord "passing-over" the homes of the Israelites as he spared them from the plagues of Egypt).

When confronted with death, Christians are strongly invited to bring their questions, fears, sadness and loss before Jesus and learn from him what death really is.

The first treats of death as something that instructs and teaches us (pedagogy). The second sees death as something that introduces us to a mystery and is already part of mystery (mystagogy).

The Old Testament offers us an educational vision of death; the New Testament offers a mysterious or paschal vision of death, centered fully on Christ (Christological).

thanks to Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, Sorella Morte

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