Recently, nature has undergone changes. The leaves have changed colour and gradually fallen, and the dead- looking branches have been blanketed in snow. As the seasons of our life go on, we also undergo changes. Our eyesight may grow dim, our hearing may be less acute, our energy level diminishes, and our hair may become grey or white or even do a disappearing act.
When John Quincy Adams was turning four score years, he was walking down the street one day in his favourite city Boston, leaning heavily on a cane. Suddenly a friend slapped him on the shoulder and said, "Well, how's John Quincy Adams this morning?"
The man turned slowly, smiled and said, "Fine sir, fine, but this old tenement that John Quincy lives in is not so good. The underpinning is about to fall away. The thatch has all gone off the roof and the windows are so dim that John Quincy can hardly see out anymore. As a matter of fact it wouldn't surprise me if before the winter is over he had to move out altogether. But as for John Quincy Adams, he never was better, never was better."
John Quincy did move out as all of us will move out one day. What will it be like? To what can we compare it?
Imagine for a moment, a conversation between a mother and the unborn child within her womb. The child asks, "What's it like out there, mom?" And the mother replies, "Oh, it's beautiful. There are trees and flowers providing a carpet of colour, mountains, lakes and rivers of sparkling water, and light from the sun and moon and stars shining down on it all." The child is silent for a moment then asks, "What's light mom?' The mom replies, "It is difficult to describe because you, my child have never experienced light."
"What else will be different," the child says. "Oh, says the mother," You will finally know your dad, your brothers and sisters and many other people. I will hold you in my arms and you will see my love for you in my eyes as you feel my warm embrace. We will finally see each other face to face and you can then know and love me in a different way." After a considerable silence while the child mulled this over, the child then asked, "But what's it like to be born." "Well, answered the mother, "It's sometimes traumatic and bloody, but it's worth it." The child replied, "That's kind of scary ... Couldn't I just stay here?" And the mother replied, I'm afraid not my child."
Birthing into eternity is much like birthing into the world. Our life clearly is made up of three stages: the time in the womb, which ends with our birth into the world, ours days or years on earth which, when we have done our best to live by the golden rule, ends with our birthing into eternity, and finally eternity, the reality of which we cannot even imagine since it is entirely outside of our experience. But this much we can be sure of. We will see God face to face and know and love others in a different way as we are wrapped in love and peace forever. It's more than worth it!
Sister Andrea Dumont is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph Roman Catholic religious order. She spent 14 years in Guatemala and since returning to Canada has lived in Grand Rapids, Easterville and Thompson. The main focus of her work in adult education, which includes training lay presiders for times when there is no priest available, organizing and instructing in the various ministries, sacramental preparation and RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.)
