LIFE TO ME IS CHRIST BUT DEATH WOULD BRING ME MORE

LIFE TO ME IS CHRIST BUT DEATH WOULD BRING ME MORE

By Fr. Felix (African Times Guest Writer)

The Philippians were Paul’s favourite

community, linked to him with a strong bond of

affection and intimacy, the only community

from which he would accept gifts of money.

Paul writes this letter from prison, not sure

whether he is to live or die, not sure either which

is his stronger desire. For life is his bond with

the Christian communities he has founded, and

who still need his help. But the centre of his life

is the total rootedness in Christ, of which death

can only be the completion.

As he writes elsewhere, the Christian has been

baptised into Christ’s death, dipped into Christ’s

death, and so is soaked in Christ’s death,

waiting only for it to be completed in Christ’s

resurrection. If we really believe this with the

strength of Paul’s conviction, it gives a whole

new centre to life, a whole new perspective on

the life which is Christ’s.

Death will then not be a matter of fear and

dread, but only a slipping into the glory of the

resurrection.