To the Band of Brothers: March 19, 2021

Good morning!

Happy feast day of St. Joseph: husband of Mary, foster father of Jesus, patron of the Catholic Church, and a happy death!

You’ve probably been wondering where I’ve been this week. I’ve been here, but I haven’t written you any emails. I’ve been thinking. I’ve been thinking and reflecting and praying. The problem is, until today, I haven’t been inspired to write. This morning, though, I did. Let me explain why.

This week has been a challenge. The mother of two of our teachers passed away. That’s never easy. Then, Mr. del Dago died. It’s this series of events that got me thinking and reflecting and praying. Death is a tricky thing. It’s natural and part of the human condition. Everyone dies. Male and female, young and old, short and tall, expected or unexpected, believer or non-believer. Everyone dies. 

We’re surrounded by it, but oftentimes don’t realize it. Read the newspaper and I bet you every page will have some article about someone who has passed away. Watch the news. Look at your video games. Death seems to abound as much as life, but we pay no attention. Then, when it strikes close to home, everyone becomes aware of it. 

Yes, death is tricky, because for as natural and commonplace as it may be, it still leads us to question why. Trust me, this email is not intended to answer that question. Philosophers and theologians much smarter than I am have been grappling with the issue of death for thousands of years. Far be it for Fr. Willie in his little email to give you any answers or resolve any questions. But, there is one important insight I wouldn’t mind sharing.

When you experience the death of someone you know and love, there is no one who can offer you any consolation or peace unless that someone is a person of faith. No doctor, no lawyer, no therapist can offer you any real comfort, unless that doctor or lawyer or therapist believes in life after death, believes in the resurrection. While a doctor can explain what medically happened, it is only a doctor of faith who can also assure you that there is life after death.

It’s like the stories in the gospels. When Jesus died, the apostles were inconsolable. Locked in a room, confused and afraid, they were depressed at the death of their friend, their brother. They wondered what was next, what would become of them. Then, the resurrection happened. Overjoyed for what they had witnessed, they rushed into the world to preach the Good News that He is risen. Life does not end with death. It is this that leads St. Peter to willingly surrender his life and die a martyr. It is what inspires St. Paul to write to the people of Corinth, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (15:55). 

While there is no doubt our two teachers will miss their mothers and we will all miss Mr. Del Dago, like the apostles and billions of Christian men and women throughout history, we also take great consolation in knowing that death has no victory and has no sting. We do not lose hope, we do not lose faith, but take great comfort in knowing that Jesus rose from the dead and death has no power over us. Yes, death will knock on the door, but who answers must be a man of faith. Faith in the fact that Jesus Christ is risen.

Auspice Maria