Thirtieth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Indeed I shall continue to rejoice, for I know that this will result in deliverance for me through your prayers and support from the Spirit of Jesus Christ. My eager expectation and hope is that I shall not be put to shame in any way, but that with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two.

Paul rejoices at the prospect of life or death. He sees both paths as ways to fulfill his calling. In the same way, we are called to be detached enough from life to be not afraid of death. Death is just a doorway to Christ and a new life. We have nothing to fear from it. If God sees fit to take our lives today, then our response should be, "Amen. So be it!" If He lets us live for many years to come, then we should response, "Amen. So be it!" Both options should spark a fire of hope within us. Life should spark within us an eagerness to do fruitful labor and magnify Christ in thought, word, and work. Death should spark within us the joyful expectation of spending the rest of eternity with our Beloved God. There is no loss for us in death as long as we live the Christ-like life and strive to follow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and the commandments of our Heavenly Father.

Do we rejoice in God no matter what He is asking of us? Are we bold in our faith, always seeking ways to magnify the Lord? How can we cultivate the attitude of detachment we need to be willing to live or die for our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, we shall rejoice in life or death as long as both lead us ever closer to you.

Amen.