TAXES and death are two certainties. The annual submission of my self-assessment tax return is definitely not my favourite task, so what about death?
Attitudes, beliefs and the ways that we handle death are changing. The way we do funerals is changing. The way we approach terminal illness is changing. And are some people’s lives worth more than others? What are we actually doing about the ever-increasing death toll in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Ukraine?
The teaching of the Catholic church is that every human life is of equal value, and sacred, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. That sense that life is a gift is, of course, shared with many. That’s not to say that any of us are actually very good at appreciating that gift or of always living that gift.
Back to my self-assessment return: life is a gift, but that doesn't mean that it is without pain. It is a hard thing to say, but I really do believe that pain and suffering are the price we pay for being free and responsible. The tears shed at a funeral are the measure of our love. No tears, no love! Jesus could have avoided the cross, but he didn't, he embraced it.
What is human life all about? Let me be bold. I believe it’s all about sharing each other's burdens, doubts and fears, each other’s pain and suffering. Life is a journey and we are on this journey together. The pain of somebody in the latter stages of cancer is our pain too. The pain of a family enduring bombardment in Gaza is our pain too. Or at least it should be.
Let me be even more bold. I believe, as a Catholic and a Christian, that this journey, however painful and difficult, is actually leading somewhere. Life is not random and death is not oblivion. One day our hearts will stop beating but that isn't the end. The end is God, the end is total love, total communion.
Now I must get back to my tax return.
Father Michael Brandon
Parish Priest of St Augustine of Hippo