Through my hospital ministry at Mater Dei Hospital I regularly encounter the shock that overcomes the relatives of the deceased. What has happened to their loved one? Will they ever see him or her again? So we come to our existential question: Is there a life after death?
The question is embedded in the value or non-value that we attribute to the present life- Fr Mario Attard
It has been the concern of celebrated philosophers and theologians. Each came to a different understanding of the same quandary. And it is still a thorny question which keeps assailing human reason.
Why bother thinking about eternal life? Simply because life is precious. The great Danish philosopher and theologian, Søren Kierkegaard, once said: “Life is a mystery to be lived not a problem to be solved”.
Life is mystery not just because we do not know what will happen next. But most of all because life is a continual revelation of what is true, just and worthy to be praised.
Life is a never ending search for the truth that saves and gives life. And, as life itself unmistakably shows, revelation occurs gradually and painfully. Nevertheless, in retrospect, one may easily notice that every event took place for a definite purpose.
Many people view life as an opportunity to have a distinguished career. Others see life as a big adventure made up of small adventures worth undertaking. For certain individuals life is a burden that must be lived; the suffering they go through makes them conclude that life is unfair and not to be explored.
Irrespective of whether one has had a happy or a troubled life there comes the moment of final separation from the here and now phenomenon. Death is inscribed in every person’s genetic existence. Sour as it may taste the hard reality is that we are mortal beings. Death annihilates life. It is an insult to life, it tramples the latter down under its heavy and ruthless feet.
Death mortally wounds life’s vitality and inflicts a tremendous traumatic impact both on the dying person and especially on his or her family.
According to the modern nihilist mentality, objective beliefs are untrue. There is no such a thing as objective basis of truth. Thus, life is not to be governed by any objective criteria.
This mentality sees existence as senseless and useless. According to its related relativistic doctrine, if there is any objective stance one should follow rigorously, it is whatever the person decides for himself or herself on the spur of the moment. It sees no point of believing in something that endures the test of time. It simply says that what truly exists is what can be seen, touched and heard. Nothing else.
The question of whether an afterlife exists or not is deeply embedded in the value or non-value that we attribute to the present life. Consequently, the nihilist-relativistic view does not see an enduring value in the present visible world because human life ceases to exist after its physical death. Its appreciation of life is defective because it is only temporary.
Fortunately, the Christian faith has a completely different view of life. Since the latter comes from God, who is life Himself (John 14:6) and the sole Creator of what exists, life is impregnated with divinity. The Genesis account rightly portrays that any kind of life is an enormous gift from a loving God whose intention is to celebrate Himself by creating and perpetuating life.
Moreover, the God of the Bible is a God whose nature is communion. He created the human person to enjoy His glory.
Even if a human being has gravely tarnished his relationship with God, God’s answer is the following: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16-17).
In and through Jesus’ paschal mystery, our human life is saved from nothingness and crowned by a divine destiny – an everlasting life with God.
frmarioa@gmail.com
Fr Attard is a member of the Order of Franciscan Capuchins.