The big Greek word in the title is one that has captivated me for a long time. I have often spent extended periods of time on long road trips turning over various trial understandings of the reality behind this word. I have also spent time wondering what others think about the word and the concepts that it evokes. The simplest, general expression of its meaning can be written, as above, "end times."
Actually, that is not quite enough because after all, the word 'Eschatology" is a Theological term, not a purely secular term. The end times that it drives the mind and heart to are the times when human life ends and all that is left is spiritual, disembodied life the likes of which will last for all eternity, or in other words, beyond time. Our Catholic understanding of this all encompassing milestone can be boiled down to some simple terms:
Human life ends - spiritual life begins. God takes over and decides whether the spiritual life will be one of everlasting joy or one of everlasting misery.
That's it.
The challenge for us is to trust that God and we can stay joined on the same page consistently enough so that when the end comes upon us, we will be ready and His judgment of us will fall on the happy side. Thinking about this, and talking to God about it a lot in our lives is an important habit to have. By talking to Him often and discussing the possibilities that our present, time measured behaviors present to us and to Him can help to deepen our trust (faith) in Him and get us ready, and keep us brave enough to stay ready until the unknown moment comes upon us.
Lately, in fact now, I am experiencing a life event that is new to me. In 8 decades I have not yet had this experience. It is a challenge for me, not to take away the towering challenge that it has to be for others. On August 31, 2017, ten days ago, a new friend, a strong collaborator and a builder of success for a common project that is but one-half complete was called to judgment by our Father Creator, but not in a manner that I have ever experienced. My newly found friend was killed in what is euphemistically called an "accident" but which legally will be defined as "manslaughter." Yes, while sitting at a traffic signal, waiting for a light change, a drunken driver in a large vehicle travelling at close to100 MPH struck the smaller vehicle in which JoeMari was sitting. The result was the termination of Joe's earthly life.
My life has been full of death, timely and untimely, to put it in human terms. Eschatologically, every death is timely because it is a part of God's time. But boy, I tell you, this one is strumming my heart strings pretty close to the "untimely" bracket. Why? Joe and his dear wife were preparing a choir presentation to be delivered on stage in the main public square of Bethlehem, yes, that Bethehem on the occasion of the solemn lighting of the Christmas Tree on December 2, 2017. Don't worry, we will be there. We have to be there so that we can see what it is that our dear Father Creator has in mind for us amid all this trauma, drama! I'm staying ready for this one. I gotta see the power of God at work in this one. I know how it works, I've been there, a lot.
Here today, gone tomorrow:
Cecile. aunt.
Joseph, grandfather
Eugene, father
Melina, mother
Elna, cousin
Alcide, uncle
Donald, uncle
Harley, uncle
Tom, cousin
George, cousin
Victor, cousin
No, I didn't make this up. Not a one by violence. Not even the four who served in Europe and one in the pacific during WWII. Only 8 first degree relatives slid quietly into death. Joe's death is a new one on me.
My deep relationship with the concept of eschatology is keeping my mind whirring since this event occurred. I have been a week and a half now wondering if eschatology can be a dynamic reality. Is it time going toward the goal or it is the goal itself? I know that through my life this concept has been a strong force that tends to keep me on the straight and narrow. It has served as a sign-board of the final reality in waiting. It has sometimes seemed to be close enough to be touched and at other times far and barely visible over the horizon. I have personally faced death a couple of times (a .45 cal is a big, black hole, believe me) but I never feared it, and still don't. This violent episode has driven me to a different side of myself that has me wondering about the things I have escaped. Hmmm, like driving while plastered; like even talking my way out of the "ticket" one time when I got stopped at 2:30 AM (Springfield, MA it was...good Italian Catholic cop). I wonder about this and other events in my life and I thank God for the energy and the Grace that He gives me to think about these things.
I have been thanking Him a lot this past week because had I been the one to cause another person's death, I am quite sure that I would have died to myself at the same time.
So, that's me. Now that you know all that, don't forget that because I didn't die to myself yet, when they finally do put me into a box, it is absolutely forbidden to cry at my funeral.
