The Christian Worldview of Death

The Christian Worldview of Death

Fr Luke A Veronis

Today we proclaim the most joyful, radiant, and victorious news the world has ever heard: Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! But to truly feel the joy of this night, we must understand what kind of news the Church proclaims.

Too many people in the world live in fear. They live with anxiety and uncertainty about the future, allowing the politics of the day, or global concerns, or personal trials and tribulations to overwhelm them. And to add to this bad news, life ends in death. The unwelcome reality that looms over all humanity is that death is the end. It is a terrifying silence, an unknown abyss.

Thus, society tries to ignore it, delay it, or distract ourselves from it. It’s interesting how, today, people not only avoid funerals, but many people no longer even have funerals for their beloved departed. This is their way of ignoring the uncomfortable reality of death. They want to pretend that this will not happen to them.

In the Orthodox Church, however, we approach death very differently than the world. In Orthodox monasteries, the monks and nuns don’t say the typical “ζωή σε σας” (which means, “life to you”) as a greeting at funerals but instead they offer the more appropriate “Καλό παράδεισο” (“A Good Paradise”). We are all on a journey toward Paradise.

Then, they may even wish “και στα δικά σου.” (“And to your death.”) Can you imagine how people would react if we greeted them at the next funeral by saying, with a joyous smile, “And to your death?” Yet, this shouldn’t be a shocking statement. We are all on a journey toward death but hopefully not one that ends in death but leads into Paradise. So, why shouldn’t we say, “And to your death.”

Another seemingly strange, yet we could say beautiful, tradition, in the monasteries is to visit the ossuary, the place where the monastics keep all the skulls and bones of the dead. A few years after any monk or nun dies, they dig up the body, reverently wash the bones, and then put them in the ossuary so that the monks can visit their forebearers, say their prayers with them, and reflect on the time when they also will join them in death. Of course, it’s not a morbid experience but a joyous reaffirmation of what we believe with Christ’s Resurrection. Life is brief. Yet, life in Christ is eternal!

This is how we, Orthodox Christians, should view death. And yes, it is quite different than how the world views it. Of course, when we lose a loved one, we’ll cry because we’ll miss our dear one and feel their loss. Yet, Saint Paul reminds us “We do not weep as those who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) because we believe that Christ has trampled down death by death. The tomb is no longer a prison but a doorway into eternity.

In St. John Chrysostom Paschal Homily, which we hear tonight, he reminds us, “Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the tomb.”

This is not poetry. It’s not hyperbole. It is the truth by which we live. We no longer live in fear. Death, at whatever age it comes, is not a tragedy. Jesus Christ died a young man, at the height of His earthly ministry at 33 years of age. Many of the saints and martyrs we honor in the Church died at young ages. The number of years mean little to people who choose to live in union with the Risen Lord Jesus.

Death is but a sleep from which we shall awaken in glory. St. Athanasius the Great explains, "By His death, Christ destroyed death. He made death like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot, the passers-by jeer at him, hitting him and mocking him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage, because of the King who has conquered him."

This past week, we had the passing of a dear life-long member of our Church Family, Mary Fatsi. She lived a blessed life, deeply loved by her family, her church family and her local community where she served many years as a public school teacher and was actively involved in town events. As she came to her last days of life, when the doctors told her that they couldn’t do anything to help her recover, she came face to face with death. I journeyed with her during this final stage of life. She was uncertain. She didn’t want to die. Yet, I reminded her that this was not the end but simply a transition into an eternity abiding in the Divine Love of God. She was going from the deep, rich human love of her dear family, especially her sister Eleanor, and moving on to the Divine Love of her Heavenly Father. All the more, I explained how beautiful it is to die during Holy Week, especially on Good Friday as she did, journeying with Christ in His death while also following Him in His Resurrection! We now will celebrate her funeral during Bright Week, this upcoming Bright Wednesday, where we won’t even do the typical funeral service but instead will repeat the joyous Matins of the Resurrection!

The reality of the Risen Christ transforms our worldview and gives us hope in whatever we will face in life.

Yes, we live in a time when many people feel overwhelmed – by the corruption of our leaders, the division of politics, the violence we see nearby and throughout the world, by sickness and loss and fear for the future. Yet, Pascha breaks through all of this and gives us a new perspective. The Risen Christ reminds us that evil will not prevail, darkness will not last, and suffering will not have the final word.

Christ is Risen and the Victorious Christ has the final say. This resurrectional spirit not only impacts what happens after we die but transforms how we live here and now! We are a Resurrection people. We live in hope where there is despair. We live in light amidst the darkness of the world. We live with unshakable joy knowing that death, sin and Satan himself have been defeated.

The angel cried out to the myrrh-bearing women, “Do not be afraid. Why do you seek the living among the dead.” The Risen and Victorious Christ repeated this to each person he met after His Resurrection, “ Do not be afraid.” This is the Good News of Pascha. This is our victory over fear.

Do not be afraid of the world’s noise and chaos. Do not be afraid of the uncertainty and confusion of society. Do not be afraid of whatever tomorrow brings. Do not be afraid even of the grave itself. Christ is Risen. Christ has conquered everything tries to destroy us. And now, He stands as the Victor, calling us to follow Him.

Let me conclude with St. Gregory the Theologian’s words: “Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him. Yesterday I died with Him; today I am made alive in Him.”

This is our joy. This is our hope. This is our life. This is what we proclaim with gladness to the world tonight.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!