Doorway
to Eternity
You
are not suppposed to sweep the floor otherwise "good luck" will
be swept away. You are not supposed to comb your hair, wash your clothes,
take a bath while the coffin is still being viewed. You should not say
"good'bye" to visitors ... they should just come and go. You
are supposed to pray the rosary for 9 days. You are not supposed to eat
noodles otherwise more deaths will follow. Do not fry food or the dead's
face will get dark. These are just some of the funeral practices in the
town where my Mom passed away.
Sounds
silly? Somehow traditions are passed down and no one questions them. Even
if you ask those who practice these customs, they laugh at the silliness
yet they conform in order to "play safe."
Unless
you have no convictions ... no evidence for your beliefs, it's difficult
to determine the line between superstition and fact. Many say they will
research the truth when they are not too busy. Sadly, they only realize
the importance of truth about life and its purpose only when they are
about to meet their maker. Is this you?
Death
can be sudden or it can be prolonged with an illness similar to my Mom's.
If you want to be "safe" doesn't it make sense to determine
the truth before it's too late? Is there really a truth? Or does it vary
with the situation? Do you believe in a loving God who provided an answer
or do you believe God made it difficult to find? Does the answer need
to be complex or simple? Do we assume that the majority determines what
is true? Can we even make up our own belief system and claim that it is
the truth and convince others of your made-up truth?
At
my Mom's deathbed, questions like these surfaced for I was witnessing
her passage from her 80+ years here on earth to her life in eternity.
If your belief system is based on shaky evidence then that's a precarious
bet to place your eternity. Don't you think?
Thank
you to all of you who sent your condolences. I'm keeping them in a special
folder. You are such a comfort. You are such a friend. TGIF!
|