BETWEEN DEATH AND RESURRECTION

by: Norberto Betita

The sad and tragic view of increasing number of dead bodies lined and laid on the debris-filled streets and on storm-ravaged buildings in Tacloban and other Cities of Leyte as a result of the terrifying and ferocious fury of the reported strongest typhoon in world history is truly reaching the point of intense suffering particularly to the family and relatives of the victims. As we daily witness and see the seemingly unbearable pain of losing loved ones in the aftermath of a devastating calamity and painful tragedy, we are moved with genuine compassion and deepest sympathy to the bereaved families, especially as they stood beside the lifeless bodies of a loving husband and a devoted wife; a dear son or a beloved daughter; a tender hearted father and an affectionate mother; and dearly beloved grandparents forlornly wrapped in windswept rugs. In faces infused with sadness and melancholy, we seemed to hear the secret undertones of heartfelt petition, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the [sufferings] of thy people..., and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?” (D & C 121:1-4.) Yet nothing else could be done as our loved ones had finally entered the tranquil doors of death and quietly gone to their final rest. We can’t help but feel sorrow and pain, and so fill our eyes with tears for the loss of them that die.

Birth and death are two of the most important events in life. Our entrance in this mortal probation which we call birth is a journey from eternity to eternity. The poet William Woodsworth understood this truth as he expressed and penned these lines:

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting

The soul that rises with us, our life star

Hath had elsewhere its setting

And cometh from afar

Not in entire forgetfulness

And not in utter nakedness

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God who is our home

Heaven lies about us in our infancy.

And, what a thrilling thing it is to sit on and fly with “the trailing clouds of glory” to come to earth and be born of goodly parents and live in a loving family relationship. Yet to die acceptably is even of paramount importance.

To many of us death is a very unpleasant subject of conversation; as such we do not want it to be a part of our regular dialogues. Not many writers would even attempt to pen articles concerning death and dying. We generally hear messages of death in eulogies as lifeless bodies are laid during funerals and finally marched and unhurriedly pushed into their silent graveyard. We failed to comprehend the importance of dying for we do not understand the meaning of infinite life.

As I think of the estimated 10,000 dead bodies---victims of typhoon Yolanda with plans to bury their remains in a common graveyard, my heart is pained as I realized the annihilating consequence of nature’s wrath. The tragic event deprived the dead of a respectable and appropriate funeral which their loved ones even in poverty should have been so willingly and fittingly provided their departed under normal circumstances. However, it is my hope that the victims should understand that this is not a punishment from a loving God. These dreadful occurrences are fulfillment of prophecies long foretold by prophets and apostles, reminding and warning us to prepare for the glorious Second Coming of the Lord. Perhaps, instead of worrying so much about the destruction and the urgent need to satisfy physical destitution, we might as well try to find time to meditate and imagine what would happen to these our loved ones which are laid to their final rest.

Perhaps we might ask what of mortal death, the natural death, the death of the body and of the state of these souls of men whose final consummation are imposed and heretofore laid in view?

Sterling W. Sill once related the story of the old Grecian tragedy written around the fall of Athens. A Roman general had captured an Athenian philosopher and had told him that he meant to put him to death. The Athenian didn’t seem very disturbed and so the Roman thought that probably he didn’t understand. And so he said to the Athenian that maybe he didn’t know what it meant to die. The Athenian said that he thought he understood it better than the Roman did. And then he said to the Roman, ”Thou dost not know what it means to die, for thou dost not know what it means to live. To die is to begin to live. It is to end all stale and weary work to begin a nobler and a better. It is to leave deceitful knaves for the society of gods and goodness.”

The Apostle Paul declared, we die “and, behold, we live” (2 Cor. 6:9) for, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:22.)

I was prompted to reread the account of the prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon as he taught his sinful son Corianton about “a space between the time of death and the resurrection” which he “inquired diligently of the Lord to know.”

“Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection---Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

“And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care and sorrow.

‘And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil---for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house---and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

“Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.” (Alma 40:9-14.)

We do not judge those who die for we do not know what are the thoughts and intents of their hearts during their painful encounter with the refining test of their lives. But we can be assured that they will stand before the judgment bar of the Lord to be judged rightly according to their works.

We mourn for those we loved and lost. Mourning is one of the deepest expressions of pure love. It is a natural response in complete accord with the divine commandment, “Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die...” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:45.)

For us who have survived, the tragic events should be a constant reminder both for the righteous and the unrighteous that we have to make right our choices, mend our characters and repent of our sinful ways. Each of us is given the choice of what we wanted to do in life. “God granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, he alloteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.” (Alma 29:4.) And because of His love, he also liberally warned us of the consequences of our choices that we may know better which way to follow. While we are free to choose we are not privileged to select the consequence of our choice.

John the beloved Apostle and revelator clearly explained the state of our spirits during and after the resurrection as he wrote, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelations 20:6) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” (Revelations 21:4, 7.)

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelations 21:8) And with the devil that deceived them, “shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10.)

These are very clear and unmistakable warnings and assurances that God has given through His prophets and apostles to help each one of us to have a better picture of what will be our condition after this life, and therefore make the best choice. In fact God who “sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto” John, “Write for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelations 21:5.)

We are told, “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform the labors. (Alma 34:32) Hence, we do not need to pray for the dead, because whatever they have done in this life will become the basis of their reward in the life hereafter. We pray for the living for they still have the chance to change their course and mend their ways and repent of their sins for it is written, “And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.” (Alma 34:33-34.)

Whatever our choice the Lord has given us the ultimate option to repent as He said, “For behold, I God, have suffered these things for all that they might not suffer if they would repent. But if they would not repent, they would suffer even as I. Which suffering caused myself even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bled at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit, and would that I might not drink and bitter cup and shrink.” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-18.)

Someone said that, “Mortality is only a slice of eternity.” But in an even most inspired comparison, Dieter F. Uchtdorf declared, “In eternal perspective, mortality does not even amount to a blink of an eye.”

“All that we can know about those loved and lost, is that they would wish us to remember them with a more intensified realization of their reality...The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude.” (Thornton Wilder.)

The heartbreaking and awful memories of the tragedies will long remain part of the unwritten pages of history in the library of our hearts. Yet slowly the sadness and gloom of this memorable day will one day obliterate and be replaced with joy and gladness as we come to a change of heart and point our direction on the road to eternal life with our God.