The liturgy is void of tears, for it celebrates not death, but resurrection. It has no tears, unless they are wiped away by the hand of God. The Lord teaches us to fear a meaningless life more than death itself, urging us to embrace the journey ahead while clinging to Jesus.
If God exists, if You are here, my loved ones will not die… God is here, always, not as an exemption from death. Jesus never promised his friends would not die. The greatest good is not a long life but to live a resurrected life now. Eternity is within us through faith before it unfurls.
Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Neither angels nor demons, neither life nor death—nothing can ever keep us from that love (Romans 8:35-37), which brings me solace. God saves; that is His name. To save means to preserve. By His perfect will, nothing will be lost—not a single affection or love.
A prayer for the dead beautifully invites us to “Admit them to enjoy the light of your face.” It expresses our deep human longing for joy, as we call on God to fulfill our desire for happiness, embracing our senses, spirit, affections, and heart.
Our experience teaches us that all things transition from life to death. In contrast, Christian faith boldly proclaims that human existence moves from death to life. From God’s sanctuary—the earth, where no one can dwell eternally—death opens its doors outward. But what awaits beyond this gate? Life!