Living Liturgically Part 6: Liturgy of the Hours
Jesus Died so We Can Live
I recently lost my grandmother, and had a chance to reflect on what happens to us after death.
The words that kept coming up for me in prayer after she died were new life, rising, eternal life, and the new Jerusalem. When I did a holy hour the day she died, I felt a profound movement of greater peace about where she was. Then, on the Friday before her funeral and burial during Stations of the Cross, I saw words that Jesus died and rose so that we could die and rise, and I just had this firm, peaceful sense that my grandmother had made it to heaven.
Then it hit me: She only made it to heaven because Jesus paved the way so that we could rise after death.
Without the suffering and dying, there would never be rising. This is what Lent and Easter are all about: overcoming death and life everlasting.
This is why we do Lent. This is why we make sacrifices. This is why we celebrate Easter soon... to remember this death and the beautiful, wonderful gift of everlasting life that we have a share in as believers.
We aren’t meant to just die...we are meant to live...forever.
About the Author
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, and certified health and life coach. She volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul Society serving the poor, is an active mentor to many individuals, and a prolific writer. Her writing interests and focus areas include spiritual development, reflections on the Gospel life, Franciscian spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and work/daily living. She is the published author of Called to Corporate: Lessons of Growing in Faith and Holiness from the Corporate Cubicle.
