Physical Or Spiritual Death: Our 21st Century Lady Or The Tiger?

Charles Dickens began his book, A Tale of Two Cities, with, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

These words also completely describe the times we are living in right now. 

"The Lady, or the Tiger?" is a much-anthologized short story written by Frank R. Stockton for publication in the magazine The Century in 1882. "The Lady, or the Tiger?" has entered the English language as an allegorical expression, a shorthand indication or signifier, for a problem that is unsolvable.

These words also completely describe the times we are living in right now. 

Now, that I have your attention let us discuss what we are going to talk about today.  Today we are faced with problems unlike almost any other generation has faced.  The problems really have not changed that terribly much but our solutions are radically different and that is the problem.

First, let me propose a question for you to ponder.  It is the modern-day version of the Lady or the Tiger.  Suppose you had these two experiences.  Which one would you choose to be a worse experience?  You have been having pain in your back for several years.  You thought at first that it would go away.  Then about a month ago you noticed that it was more difficult for you to catch your breath.  These factors got you worried enough to make an appointment with a doctor.  You saw the doctor and he referred you to a specialist.  After taking a series of tests, you are waiting for the specialist to come back into the room and tell you what is wrong with you.  You are impatiently looking at your watch wondering how you were going to do all of that work waiting for all when you get back to the office, the bills that have to be paid this week, and how you can afford to send your twin daughters to college next year.  That was when the doctor opened the door and told you the news. “Sam, I have the results.”  You look at the worried face of the doctor.  You ask, “Okay what do you prescribe?”  The doctor looks at you and shakes their head.  “Nothing.” You immediately say, “Nothing, what do you mean?”  They replied, “You have aggressive stage four lung cancer.  It has spread to a great part of the body- your liver and lungs are in very bad shape.”  Now, you are scared and ask, “Doctor are you telling me…”  “Yes, exactly you could fight this but it will be expensive and there is no guarantee of getting better, in fact, you will feel much worse.  My idea is that you enjoy your family for what time you have left on this earth.”  You are stunned.  The doctor just told you that you had cancer.  It was terminal and you really could not fight it.

The second experience happened about ten days later.  It was early on Monday morning.  You had just arrived at their office.  You call for your assistant, “Stella where is the folder for….”  Those were the last words that came out of your mouth.  You fell over dead hitting the corner of your desk on the way to the floor.  Stella ran into your office.  She tried to get you up.  You did not move.  They pronounced you dead by 9:30 and by noon you were in line for your judgment.  Everything seemed so strange.  So new.  When it was your turn, you were brought in front of a judge who pronounced, “Because you were too busy in life to experience God, you were not allowed to go to heaven.”

You thought about it. They were right.  You worked yourself to death.  You drank too much, you didn’t exercise, you never took time to teach your family about God, and you never took time yourself to pray.  You always thought that there was plenty of time to do these things.  

This is the 21st-century version of Frank R. Stockton’s Lady or the Tiger. The problem is this is not a short story- this is for real.  This is not fiction, this is for eternity.  Which is worse- physical death or spiritual death?  We will all face physical death at one time but we do not have to face a spiritual death- this is our choice.  Brothers and sisters, Christ brought us a way of life.  He did not bring us a menu where we choose for ourselves what we want from Column A and Column B.  When we worry about our physical death (something that we will all experience) and not do what we should be doing here on earth- we are putting ourselves at high risk for spiritual death. 

Today we have been influenced by people who have taken the word sacrifice out of the Mass. Bishop Fulton Sheen once said, “"The  Soviet Union is like the Cross without Christ, while American  culture is like Christ without the Cross."  Can we also do the same in our lives? Just knowing that Jesus is the Christ, is really not enough.  The devil knows that much.  We must be willing and able to work for Christ, live his teachings, bring converts into the Church, and help spread the Good News of the Gospel- That Christ has Risen. 

Which is greater- Spiritual Death or Physical Death?  Probably to most Americans they would say physical death.  However, to a Catholic, the answer will and always should be Spiritual Death. My goal here is to direct you to the correct door before it closes on your future forever. Amen