Sister Bodily Death

“Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,from whom no one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin. Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm.”

As a convert, I grew up in a culture where Sister Bodily Death was perceived as bad or evil, something that you have to avoid at all costs. I had to look away when I saw a hearse on the road. After visiting a wake, I had to immediately wash my face. I would not be allowed to visit someone’s home from a wake. Sister Death was scary and would bring all the bad luck to the people that encountered her.

As I learned more about the faith, Sister Bodily Death was less terrorizing, but she was still scary. Things changed drastically when I personally had a glimpse of encountering her. When she was approaching, she opened up something in my mind. She showed me who were the people that matter in my life. She revealed to me what was important and what was less important. She urged me to forgive and to seek forgiveness. She invited me to be stripped of everything I thought I was, and to come to God as who I really am – naked, just like how St Francis wanted to die in nakedness, which was also how he came into the world.

Sister Bodily Death taught me how to live.

I now recognize that what is scary is all the UNKNOWNS waiting for me. When she finally comes to me, what will happen? Where will I go? What if…? Too many questions to be answered, and there is no way to get the answer. These unknowns are the reason for the artwork to look unfinished. There is something to be revealed. There is something we can’t see.

What we know is God’s promise that we will be healed. We will be led to be with God in heaven, where everyone will be in the pink of health. Do we trust in this promise? As St Francis said, no one living can escape, and she is not to be feared, but to be embraced because Bodily Death is a Sister.

For Reflection,

• What are the things you are afraid of? Is your fear real or just a result of overthinking things that may not be true or happen?

• Have you ever meditated on Sister Bodily Death? Take this time to reflect on the possibility of encountering her. Ask her to show us what really matters in our life, how we should live our bodily life on earth.