So This Is How I’m Going To Die

“So this is how I’m going to die.”

These are the words my wife, Kristin Wilson, thought as she was choking on her salad. She hadn’t chewed it correctly and it was lodged in her throat. She couldn’t swallow and she couldn’t cough it up. She couldn’t breath and was starting to feel lightheaded. That is when the thought came to her,

“This is how I’m going to die.”

And now I am to die. – Daniel 13: 43

She would have given herself the heimlich maneuver but didn’t feel strong enough. She was prepared to run next door while there was still time and knock on a neighbor’s door. Fortuanlly it was not her time to depart this earth. She managed to cough it up and she could breath again. Relieved but yet shaken by the experience.

Thus innocent blood was spared that day. – Daniel 13: 62

We have to eat to survive, but yet something as life substanding as eating a healthy salad almost resulted in a life being taken away. The day after this event happened we went to the funeral of our friend Jean’s second husband. I wouldn’t have wanted to call her up to tell her we couldn’t come to the funeral because Kristin died and now you have to plan on coming to hers.

Interesting  trivia about this particular funereal is that it had the shortest possible distance to the cemetery which was right across the street. I was sitting in my car wondering what the hold up was in leaving the church and driving to the graveyard. When the line starting moving we passed an empty hearse. I thought, “Do they have an extra hearse?” It turns out the funeral people either locked their keys in the car or lost them or something else. The casket had to be taken in a pick-up truck to drive the short distance. At worst the pallbearers could have managed to carry it across the street if it came to that. It recalls to mind another funeral that after driving to the gravesite, the powers to be realized that they had dug up the wrong grave site and needed time to prepare the right one. Death is not always easy for the living.

Jesus Knew How He Was Going To Die

At the service the priest reminded everyone of the central importance of the cross and how we need to be united to Christ. He quizzed the congregation asked people questions about the importance of Christ during the homily. Might as well evangelize when you have a captive audience. Some educated people believe that the  possible date of the crucifixion is on April 7th, AD 30.  Jesus knew how He was going to die.

Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!- Matthew 20:17–19

Death separates us from our loved ones and sometimes draws us back together. At Charlie’s funeral we ran into some folks we hadn’t seen in years including a young woman we last saw as a teenager named Carma. She is grown and has kids of her own. Jean and Charlie were foster parents to many many kids over the course of their marriage. One of them was Tyrese whose sister is our adopted daughter Princess.  And now were preparing for the possible death of another family member sick in the hospital with cancer. And Kristin and I have a wake to go to of a friend and former co-worker of Kristin’s parents who are in their 70’s. At a recent dinner Kirstin’s dad, John Nealon, remarked “It’s our generation’s turn to die.”

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.
-Hebrews 9:27

We might think we’re going to die and yet we live on.
We might think we’re going to live but yet wind up in a casket with our loved ones weeping over us.

Follow the Light

If were stumbling in the darkness at the loss of our loved ones life look to the light to guide us in our darken minds covered with grief.

If we find our self in the darkness of death remember to call out and follow the light.

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” -John 8:12

Jean-Baptiste de La Salle  worn out by austerity and exhausting labour of founding the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools died at Saint Yon, near Rouen, on Good Friday April 7, 1719.  It didn’t matter when he died but that he followed the light and continued following it after he died. And now he is a canonized saint.

How will you die?
When will you die?

I’m sad that people we know have died lately and am very glad that Kristin’s

‘hour had not yet come.’- John 8:20

But when my hour comes and yours comes may we follow the light of Christ into his presence.

Added Note

Just recently I went to a wake where the guy in the casket was dressed in his college sweatshirt and had his baseball cap by his side. He didn’t like formal attire and felt comfortable in regular clothes. Never saw that before.

Can’t think of Catholic funerals and not think of Fr. Casey Cole’s experience he describes in this video.