Dying to be Alive

A Reflection on the Second Reading for August 15th, 2021:
The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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1 Corinthians
15.20-26 

Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a man; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

On the first week of June, Halifax’s much-awaited “patio season” began. In other words, COVID-19 restrictions for the food industry were slightly relaxed, and people were finally permitted to partake in patio dining. I was more than ready to meet up with girlfriends whom I haven’t seen in a long time. As I made plans with them, the question, “Where do you want to eat?” made me uneasy because when I asked them this question, I subconsciously already had a place in mind that I wanted to check out or a new food that I wanted to try.

Maybe it’s human weakness (“Oh, but the pizza is way better elsewhere!”), or selfishness (“Sushi again? Didn’t we have sushi the last time we met?”), or maybe it’s my desperation to find good food within my budget (“Does this mean I can’t go out to eat next month if I meet with her this week?”). Either way, I find it hard to give way to others, even if it’s as simple as letting them choose where we should meet or what we should eat.

This experience reminds me of how St. Josemaria Escriva describes suffering as a means for mortification (see Rev. Hanson’s reflection about suffering). While I’ve gone through much deeper and trying forms of suffering, there’s something beautiful and grace-filled about simple and subtle acts of “suffering” such as in allowing our friends’ (and loved ones’) preferences to go before ours — whether it’s a choice of where to eat, what activity to do together, or what movie to watch next. Although, in the moment, giving way to others’ preferences may seem insignificant or unstirring, it is an act of dying to oneself, which in a way, is also an act of love done for others, which ultimately, is an act of praise and love for Christ.

Each time I allow my girlfriends to choose a restaurant or let them have their way with where we should meet, I am pleasantly surprised. I notice how much better our meal “tastes” because of the conversations we have, the stories and sentiments we share, and especially the smile on their faces that I witness because of the joy they probably experience.

Sometimes the enemy is not as big or as obvious as we expect it to be. Sometimes, the enemy is ourselves — the tendency to put our preferences first without stopping to consider what our friends or loved ones want, or the tendency to grip harder at something in order to get what we want. When we die to ourselves through simple acts of mortification, the “…[Lord] must reign… [and] all will be made alive in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-26) Know that with each act of suffering or of dying to oneself, He sees you, sister! No effort — big or small — goes unnoticed, if done out of love for Christ.   




Giana Tomas
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