In just a few days, we will be reminded that we are dust and that into dust we shall return. The custom of placing blessed ashes on the foreheads of the faithful ought to awaken the sleeping to the reality of life and death and their respective implications.

There are those blind Catholics who fail to learn anything from the death of those around them. Instead, they would like to have the reality of death hidden from their guilty eyes.

It is for this reason that so many former Catholics look upon death as a time for the departed to be praised. What a tragic error!

By the time the casket containing the earthly remains of the deceased is wheeled into the church, the soul that once animated the corpse has already been judged. Judged _ not by superficial friends or family _ but by the Just Judge from whom no secret is hidden.

We who have been baptized in the true Church need to be reminded of the basic truths of our faith. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, came to earth and dwelt amongst us in order to show us by His word and example the path to regeneration into eternal life with God

-- Ed Richards (loztra@yahoo.com), March 02, 2003

Answers

Yeah!

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), March 02, 2003.

Very true Mr. Richards.

-- David (David@excite.com), March 02, 2003.