Marked…and Better Off Dead?

This last Wednesday I was marked…I was marked by a nasty looking ashy cross. I stood in line for the preacher to smash it into my forehead. “Remember,” he began. By the time he finished I instinctively said, “Amen.” “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” And I agreed. I said, “Yes.” and thought to myself, “I’m probably better off dead anyway.” Welcome to Lent.

Last month was Sanctity of Human Life Month. And like me, you might have been embedded with your own problems that caused you to de-sanctify life by thinking, “Why doesn’t God just take me home? I’d be better off dead.”

We’ve all thought it’d be better to be dead than to mess with the pain of cancer or the turmoil of loneliness. It is a response that our society is saying more and more as life becomes de-sanctified. A response directed toward those who are getting older or just can’t do much anymore. So, is it true? Would we be better off dead?

I hesitate to answer, “Yes,” for, St. Paul desired such a pleasure as he struggled physically for the faith. As he contemplated how much easier it would be in heavenly bless. Yes, it would be better off to be dead in Christ for our death in Christ is no death at all. Romans 6 reminds us that we have already died to sin and we now live in Him. Death has no dominion over us.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:8-11)

Death has no dominion over us! Christ has so much power over death that we are even able to taunt death and shout, “Bring me your best, Death! You have no place here!” Yes, we as disciples of Christ would all be better off dead, for Paul thinks the same when he writes, “I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far” (Philippians 1:23).  And yet there is more.

Death is not the only possibility for Paul. In fact Paul says that it is “more necessary” to keep living, for God has additional plans. These additional plans require for us to live. Paul says, “to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). Therefore living is required for the additional plans of our Lord, or “fruitful labor” as Paul later describes. In my life these additional plans will include proclaiming Christ in the land of Africa to the people in Tanzania.

These additional plans are for you also. No matter how young or old you may feel. No matter if you are ill or even unconscious, God is keeping you alive. As long as our Lord gives life, He gives “fruitful labor” for us to accomplish.  This “fruitful labor” causes others great joy which overflows in Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:26).

It is a tragedy to ever think that the Lord stops with the Ash Wednesday words, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return.” That He is incapable to do anything great or even minimal in our lives. We as sinners often think this way and forget that it is God and His presence in our life that accomplishes “fruitful labor.” This “fruitful labor” comes through His Word and Sacrament. It comes to you with one more Word. A Word of forgiveness. This powerful Word of forgiveness has destoyed the nasty looking ash. The ash of sin is crushed by our Lord’s death on a cross. You have been marked with this cross. Marked in Holy Baptism our Lord smashes His water into you and says, “You are my beloved child. With you I am well pleased.”

Better of Dead? Yes… but, let Christ do what He does in you by letting Him work and live in you until your day is done and He returns in glory.