Grappling With Why Many Young Children and Young Adults Die Young While Many Live Into Their Nineties

Grappling With Why Many Young Children and Young Adults

Die Young While Many Live Into Their Nineties

Eileen Renders 

   It is understandable why we question what appears to be the senseless death of a young child, or young adult when others live what appears to be an endless life up into their nineties. We have all heard of a young child’s death, often due to an inborn illness, or an accident. And it is difficult to understand why God has allowed this to occur. Needless to say, there are life mysteries we cannot comprehend in this life, however, faith tells us we must accept that all life is terminal. No one knows the day or the hour. What I tend to believe is that only God knows that little child’s future, or that young adult who died, and perhaps God spared them a difficult life for only God knows our future.

   As for those who live a long life, we can find many parables in the Catholic Bible helping us to understand the reasoning behind these Centenarians.

   As a mother who lost a 20-year-old identical twin daughter through drowning, I was so angry with God, that I would not speak or go to Him for well over a year. I was so depressed, that I could not continue with my job. I thought it ironic how God would bless me with beautiful twin daughters, allow me to raise them, and then take one. And in my thoughts, and in my heart, I told God I did not want to speak to Him ever again because it was cruel. Then I would say; “What will you do, punish me?’ And then I said; “Go ahead take my life too as I do not care.”

   It felt as though there was no one in the world I could talk to or speak to who would understand my grief. Then I realized there was one, it was Jesus’ mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She understood as she watched her son die on the Cross. So then, I began speaking and praying to her. Unbeknown to me, however, her only goal is to bring us full circle right back to her son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, one night as I lay in bed before drifting off to sleep, I realized that I was instituting and speaking to God. It jolted me for a minute and I said; “When did we begin speaking again, and when did I forgive You?’ Hearing myself saying those words to God; “Me forgiving God?” The very idea of those words caused me to laugh out loud, and I realized I had it all backward. It is God who forgave me. I share this story with all readers because the lesson learned is that the children God blesses us with are not ours! They are with us to ensure Baptism, caring for them sharing a great mutual love, and to teach them about God, the Commandments, and how to live by His guidance.