The passage today from the Book of Wisdom is very frequently used at Masses of Christian Burial. Its purpose then is to give consolation and hope to the bereaved by recalling our faith that death is not the end but the beginning of life with God. Our hope is full of immortality.

All of us have lost loved ones in death, and this passage is a consolation for us at this moment. But today let us try to hear this passage, not as applying to those who have already died, but to us who still must face our own death some day in the future. Death is certain, but the time, place and circumstances of our own death are unknown to us. We cannot be sure how we will approach the moment of our death since it is a unique experience, still in the future for us. No one is allowed the ability to die more than once. If we could die more than once, we would be able to correct any mistakes, but such is not the case. Death is a once in a lifetime event.

The present is the time to prepare for death. This day is an occasion for us to renew our faith that God's love for us is so great that death is not an utter destruction. Death is awesome, even fearful, especially for those who has no faith in the Lord. But through faith which begets the hope of immortality, we should approach our own death with complete trust in the goodness of God.