In today’s Psalm, we read …
“the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death.”
Can you think of anything that causes more wonder and stress in our hearts than this question: What really happens when we die?
As we enter into this week where we are confronted with death and the ultimate destination of the souls of the dearly departed, I offer up this reflection – dusted off a bit from a few years ago.
When I was young, this is how I used to fight off my fears.
I would lay in bed, my imagination running wild with every hoot of an owl, every bump in the closet, every creak of those old wooden floors of our second story on Main Street.
I would picture all the monsters just waiting for me to close my eyes, so they could creep into my bedroom, crawl into my bed and scare me to death.
So, each night I would wrap myself tight in my blanket, close my eyes and make a deal with God. I’d say, Lord, I am going to count to 100 and that will ensure that all those monsters will stay away thanks to your protection.
I’m pretty sure a Rosary or a few Acts of Contrition might have done a better job. But hey, I was just a kid with an overactive imagination. I had a flare for the dramatics. (Still do).
And it worked. My little routine protected me each night.
As I grew, I gradually stopped the counting and my fear of my childhood monsters – for the record, that would include Dracula, the Wolfman and Frankenstein – slowly went away.
And then I hit the age of 9 and my father took my brother and I to see The Exorcist, and suddenly my fears were right back in my head. Only this time, they were not fears of Hollywood monsters. Instead, the fear was of demons who possess little kids … and, I was certain, would try to possess my soul, or that of my brother.
I don’t think I slept for six weeks after that movie. Every night I waited for my bed to start jumping up and down. Or for my windows to suddenly fly open. I was terrified. (Still am).
But there was good news. Now, instead of wrapping my head in a blanket and counting to 100, I really did pray. Our Fathers, Hail Mary’s, Apostle’s Creeds, St. Michael’s prayer … I did it all.
Once again, time helped ease the fears … but not entirely.
As I became more aware of our Catholic faith, I began to understand that there really are demonic forces to fear in our lives. The devil is real. His demons are real. Possession is real. We still have official exorcists in the Church and they do keep busy.
But at the same time, my soul learned to rest in the comfort of knowing that Jesus has won the war against death and evil. While we still face many battles as individuals and societies, we know that we have won the big war and there truly is no reason to fear.
As we enter into this week that includes Halloween (All Hallow’s Eve), followed by All Saints Day and All Souls Day, it’s natural to think of the spiritual world that exists in our lives. The good spirits who intercede for us and help us in our darkest moments; the bad spirits who try to deceive us and lie to us at every step, hoping we will turn our backs on God.
In today’s Gospel, we read of a woman who is freed of 18 years of bondage by the healing touch of Christ.
Let us pray that we find the strength and perseverance to endure our battles, our bondage.
And we pray that we will have the desire and the will to humbly ask God for his help – whether we are tucked safely under our blankets or stepping out into a cold and scary world.
