We are born to die. Not that death is the purpose of our being born, but we are born toward death, and in each of our lives the work of dying is already underway. The work of dying well is, in largest part, the work of living well. Most of us are at ease in discussing what makes for a good life, but we typically become tongue-tied and nervous when the discussion turns to a good death. As children of a culture radically, even religiously, devoted to youth and health, many find it incomprehensible, indeed offensive, that the word "good" should in any way be associated with death. Death, it is thought, is an unmitigated evil, the very antithesis of all that is good.
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3 comments:
There is too much to say regarding this moment -- it has been expected for some time. But I will ask the question:
How will lapsed Catholics (like El D, and me, and ... Z? No?) & Protestants respond to this lost life dedicated to the intellect and to the soul and to political freedom?
By dismissing everything he and his Church stood for?
It's not a "lost life", Fr. Neuhaus may have died but I'd argue that the good father lived his time pretty damned well.
Speaking only for myself and not other LRC, (I don't go to their meetings either) I'd never dismiss everything Fr. Neuhaus and the HRCC has stood for, never.
The question is, what do we embrace and how do we embrace it?
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