“Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them” (2 Maccabees 7:29).
This unnamed mother speaking to her youngest son even as she had already witnessed the death of her other six sons is not pleading for his life but encouraging him to “accept death.” Did she do so because she saw or experienced something from God that assured her that this life is not all there is. Her confidence shows as she says to her son that “I may receive you again with them.”
As we read about Eleazar yesterday, we witness again today with this family, that death did not have the same hold on them that it has on most of us. We have an innate desire in our humanity to want to preserve our lives which God imparted within us as he himself is not the author of death but of life.
Maybe there is something for us to ponder in facing our own death. Not the most pleasant topic but in doing so we might live our lives a little better because we may be less apt to take the precious life that we do have for granted.
In reflecting upon our death, we realize that we are mortal, and that this life will come to an end. Acknowledging that our days are numbered instead of living with the illusion we have unlimited time, we might make some different decisions.
Dr. Leo Buscaglia, used to give an assignment to his college students at USC. He said, “Imagine you found out you had one week to live. Make a list of what you would do this week.” When the students turned in their assignments the following class, he gathered the papers together, held them up, and said, “Don’t wait until it is too late, do the items on your list now!”
Knowing that our time is limited, we can appreciate those in our lives more. JoAnn’s diagnosis came sometime in March of 2019 and she was gone September 2 of the same year. I appreciated every second of those six months with her. I have been blessed by our twenty-three years together. If I had known we would only have twenty-three years at the beginning, I would still ask her to marry me again in a heartbeat, but might have made some different decisions. We can’t go back but we can learn from our mistakes.
Thanksgiving as well as holiday get togethers can be bumpy sometimes. If we imagine this might be our last one together, might we do it a bit different? Might we resist some arguments, and instead spend more time appreciating and enjoying each other and our time together? Might we thank God for the gift of the life he has given us and those we are blessed to share it with and let those we love know that we love them?
You could be reading this knowing this will be the last Thanksgiving with someone or as it was with me and JoAnn, you will not know. All of us will at some point face that holiday that will be our’s or another’s last, may we draw strength from Eleazar, the mother and her seven sons, and St. Cecilia, whose memorial it is today, who saw that this life is not the end, but that with God there is another one promised for us where we will all be together again. As JoAnn, told us, “I am just changing my address.”
Photo: Our last Thanksgiving together. A wonderful day!
Spiritual Stepping Stones 