Mary's Mission: Remembering Death

By: Mary Arcement Alexander

And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7

This really is a beautiful passage from the book of Ecclesiastes. I know I have probably heard this verse dozens of times over the course of my life, but not until now does it resonate with me. As I am writing this column, I am two weeks shy of my 50th birthday, which means as you read this column; I am officially a 50-year-old woman. Yikes! How did I get here so fast? I am guessing many of you can relate to this question, especially if you are over the age of 40. With that said, I am actually excited about this new decade of life. I am so grateful God has not only allowed me to see 50, but He has also blessed me with a healthy body and a healthy mind. I take for granted none of it. Another thought has begun to take life: I am now half way through my life (that is, if I live to be 100). But let me be honest, I am technically more than half way through my life; a sobering yet inspiring thought for me.

As a Christian, I have never feared dying. However, I have had anxiety about how I will die. Death itself is not morbid nor difficult for me to talk about. One gift about being a counselor is that I can talk about almost anything with little to no discomfort. We all know that life guarantees only two things: death and taxes. From the moment we are born, we are dying. For some of you, this thought brings about sadness. If you are the one I am speaking of, I encourage you to revisit Ecclesiastes 12:7, specifically “…the life breath returns to God.” The imagery of these words is both beautiful and calming. God created each one of us with a set number of breaths that begins as we exit our mother’s womb. Our final breath, of course, is unknown. Instead of worrying about when this last breath will occur, I choose to embrace each inhale and exhale, I choose to thank God daily for every breath I have already had, and I choose to use each breath wisely and with intention.

What does it mean to remember your death? I am not 100% sure of the answer, but here are my thoughts on this question. I believe to remember our death means to remember that our life on earth is temporary. Considering how fallen our present world is, I for one am thanking God for this temporary life. Most recently, I have had several of my Christian clients say to me, “I sure do hope this is the end of times. I am ready for Jesus!” Perhaps some of you are nodding your heads in agreement. Whether you are ready for the second coming or not, I sincerely pray, my brothers and sisters in Christ, that you are excited about spending eternal life with our Lord in heaven. I know I am.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor. 4:18

As we quickly approach All Souls Day on November 2nd, let us remember those who have already gone before us. Let us remember both their life and their death. Let us remember to pray for their souls to reach heaven soon. Let us remember to thank God for the years we were able to spend with our loved ones prior to their death. Let us remember our death as well as how it may be necessary to die unto ourselves during our earthly life, so we can fully rejoice in heaven with Jesus in our eternal life.

Mary Arecement Alexander is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice in Shreveport, LA.