Afraid of dying?

Last Saturday, October 27, 2007, I was given a FREE accident insurance by PhilAm Plans worth P25,000 for 1-year. It was actually a marketing gimmick to lure me into buying one of their insurance packages.

When I went to their office, I told them that the P25,000 is enough to buy a memorial plan, when I die. The lady was dumbfounded and knocked her knuckles on the table saying that "Sir, you are too young to die. We should not be talking about death".

"Why, are you afraid to die?", I asked her. I then realized that for most people, discussing about death is a taboo, as if the person talking is praying for his/her own death which is considered a misfortune.

I told her that I am not afraid to die, in fact I will be happy to die because I know that God has promised not only a better place but the best place for His creatures. There will be no more sickness, no more hunger, no more poverty, no more corruption, no more war, no more sickness. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom where there is LOVE, JUSTICE and PEACE.

I told her that for most people, they are afraid to face the reality of death because they are not prepared to face God. They have been busy preparing for their stay here on earth like studying hard so that they can graduate and get a better-paying job for their family and work like crazy until retirement and wait for their eventual death. For so many people, they have not prepared their souls to face their master.

Death is like a thief in the night.

My father would not know that he will die on the day he was stabbed by somebody who was envious of his being a teacher in the barrio. My mother may know that she will die soon but the exact date and time is a mystery for her after suffering from a second stroke. My brother would not know that he will die on the night he was gunned down by a hired killer due to his expose on corruption in the school where he taught.

Would anybody who died in the Glorietta 2 explosion knew that they will face death on that moment? Carlo Cruz whose wife Leslie died during the explosion sent an email to his friends and eventually the email was all over the internet. He said  "I have so many regrets. I should have met her sooner. I should have ran instead of a brisk walk. I should have not chose to park where I did. I should have braved the dust and went in the blast site. I should have ..." I SHOULD HAVE, three words indicating that there were some tasks that may have been done to avert something to happen.

In our life now, we can still do something and be prepared and happy to meet our God. We should not wait until we can only say "I SHOULD HAVE.."

Our preparation should not only be about our personal relationship with God. It should not be only about how often we go to mass or recite the rosary. When we face our master, we will be asked "When I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty, have you given me water to drink? When I was a stranger, have you given me welcome? When I was naked, have you clothed me? When I was ill, did you care for me? When I was in prison, have you visited me?"

The poor and the hungry is waiting for us.... so that they will also be prepared and happy in the Kingdom of God...