End of Life Issues: Death and Grieving

In the end, death will come for each of us. This sad and tragic reality is the direct result of the original sin of Adam and Eve (c.f., Genesis 3). But death is not the end of the story. Jesus Christ the Messiah and Savior came to save us from the eternal death that awaits those who willfully rebel against God.

This means that, for Christians, death does not have to be as frightening or difficult as it will be for those who do not believe in the Lord and seek to follow His teachings and commandments (c.f., 1 John 5:1-21; Acts 10:34-35).

This section of Catholics Come Home will provide you with some spiritual and practical resources to help you with end of life issues and the process of grieving for a loved one you've lost through death.

Consider St. Paul's explanation of the problem and the solution to the problem:

“While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man--though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation. Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned . . .

“Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for “many. And the free gift is not like the effect of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification.

“If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

“Then as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.

“Law came in, to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:1-21).

'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16:20). For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes”
(Rev. 7:17, 21:4).