O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, October 26th, 2025:
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time ​

---

2 Timothy
​35:15-17, 20-22

Beloved: I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them!

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Death is standing right in front of Saint Paul’s face, but it can do nothing to extinguish his light. In fact, he rejoices in this high-stakes staring contest because it means he will soon receive that which is reserved for him: the crown of righteousness. He’s certain that he, and “all those who have longed for [the Lord’s] appearing,” will be made co-heirs with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God.

Indeed, for a follower of Jesus, death is nothing but the last stepping stone on the way to eternity with our Maker. It is the doorway into our Father’s house, where we have a room of our own, filled with treasures that never tarnish or perish.

Well then, what can stop us? When the only thing we fear is God, we are made to be fearless. Who can control us? So secure is our salvation in Christ Jesus that we welcome death with open arms, pouring ourselves out to our Lord as one final act of worship.

How could we ever fear exchanging our earthly cloaks for one made of the Infinite Love of God? We’ll be perfect, whole and complete. We’ll be who we were meant to be, in full communion with our Lord.

Sisters, believe me, despite this rallying cry, I certainly don’t feel entirely “Braveheart” about the end of my life. Contemplating the prospect of becoming united with the Most High brings with it the sobering realization that this would be the exact moment where nothing will be hidden.

I ask my soul why it trembles in fear and urge it to rejoice in the free gift of salvation it has received. I remind it that the Lord, in His mercy, has also given us this life as the sacred journey of becoming who we were created to be in Him.

Heavenly Father, help us to persevere in this race, this marathon through time where we will soon pass our torches on to the next generation. We lift our hearts and minds up to You until the day we see Your face and rejoice for eternity in Your never-ending Love. 

Amen.




Vanessa Noujaim