Dying to the World

DYING TO THE WORLD

Eileen Renders

We can understand what Jesus meant when He told us we need not become martyrs, but we are asked to die to the world. Behind each request and suggestion Jesus gave to us during His lifetime, to be passed down to everyone through the Bible, He desires for us to follow His word as when His Father said, “Listen to My Son”. This desire emanates from each of us. Only when we answer His call to follow Him will God, in His mercy, shower us with the gifts of understanding, joy, and inspiration to others that ignites the fire for God’s love in others.

Dying to the world may have different meanings to many of us, however, we are taught that the Catholic meaning is meant to draw our attention, focus, and example throughout our lifetime is meant to be drawn from the life of Christ. To work each day making Jesus our focus, studying how He lived, and why He did the things He did. Not many of us are happy thinking about our departure from Earth, the end of our lives. We must leave behind family, spouses, and children. Perhaps we need to keep in mind why Jesus was sent to Earth to teach us by His example, to provide us with the sacraments, and to die for us on the Cross. Today, many will often hear me say, life is terminal for us all!   

Most of us must live and work to be able to have a home, put food on the table, raise and educate children, pay for medical treatment and more. Some are inspired to gain wealth to ensure comfort and security for our future, and the future of our families, however, we would be wise to remain aware that this life is a test, and end with an examination of conscience before God on how we lived our lives. God showed us who He was on earth through His love, mercy, and compassion for us. Those are the traits He will be weighing that we projected throughout our lives as well.

To die to the world, simply means to stay vigilant regarding how we live, and the choices we are making, and know that emulating Christ in our choices can become the difference between enjoying heaven for all eternity, or being sentenced into hell without release.

Allowing ourselves to accept our sorrows, and our pains is to carry our cross without resentment and complaining while still managing to perform acts of mercy and kindness with others. With the ability to understand and embrace that concept, as did Jesus, we too, will one day enjoy being in paradise with our divine creator.