Why cherish life?

[Mijoy2]

This may sound like an odd question however it is one of those questions that keeps haunting me. It seems it’s the most fundemental questions I often have the most difficulty with.

As Catholic believers we believe that if we remain in a state of sanctifying grace there is much hope that we will go to a far better place. Protestants take it a bit further, if they simply believe in Jesus Christ, the Trinity and the resurrection they most assuredly will go to Heaven. Why would we not wish to expedite this? When we discuss death, even as believers in our Faith we often discuss it as a negative. I know this sounds odd but it is a genuine question; why would we not welcome and even hope, for a quick death knowing we will be in a state of ultimate peace and happiness? When Jesus healed the sick, was He not simply prolonging thier time here on Earth, a lesser place to be?

Thanks

 

[germys9]

I have wondered that as well. But I think it is because we are here to serve God. I don’t like to limit Jesus to being my “personal” savior. He is, of course, my savior but I also think that he established a true and real family here on earth. In this family, it is our job to spread the news and help others to make the family bigger. St. Paul put it well in Col 1:24 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church,”

Of course Christ’s death was sufficient, but we now are his workers, making known the redemption to everyone.

 

[bengal_fan]

Phillipians 1:21-26: “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in th body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Covinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your goy in Cgrist Jesus will overflow on account of me.”

it seems Paul dealt with the same struggle. his determination was that he was on earth to be used by God in the lives of others (which is everyone’s purpose here on earth, to love others in the name of Christ). and so he would go on doing just that until God chose to take him to be in that far better place.

 

[iguana27]

I am firmly convinced that God has a plan for me while I am here on earth. To deny that plan would be to deny God’s will. Likewise, there is a plan for every human being from conception to natural death, so anything that we would do to hasten someone’s death would be a violation of God’s plan.

The world, to me, is preparation for our heavenly reward. We are to live fully in this world to prepare ourselves for the afterlife.

We have a taste of heaven at the Mass. This is all we are supposed to have until it is our appointed time to die.

God bless!

 

[ncgolf]

Mijoy2:

As Catholic believers we believe that if we remain in a state of sanctifying grace there is much hope that we will go to a far better place. Protestants take it a bit further, if they simply believe in Jesus Christ, the Trinity and the resurrection they most assuredly will go to Heaven.
Thanks

The protestsants do not take it further. What you describe for protestants is justification, being able to get into heaven … kind of like minimum entrance requirements. Catholics believe in being sanctified … saints. Each one of us can be as saintly as Mother Therese. It is a much higher calling. Hard to believe but true. Being a saint means submitting to God’s will always. So we live our whole life, for however long it is to do whatever God wants us to do on earth. Read a biography on St. Faustina Kowalska, who began the Chaplet of Mercy. She talks about her suffering on earth and how much she wanted to be with Jesus and looked forward to her death. She was blessed with the knowledge of when she would die.

I hope I didnt ramble too much.