Before celebrating a funeral Mass, the widow shared the family’s experience of the moment before her husband passed away. They were all at the ICU and he flatlined. The doctors did everything to revive him and were successful. Since all the family was present, he asked for a piece of paper and a pen to write a message. He wrote, “I love you all very much, but should this happen to me again, please do not revive me anymore. It is so peaceful to the place that I have come from!”

Jesus often reminds us that there is eternal life. Hence in this life, we are only passing by. He also reminds us that eternal life is not a privilege of a few; it is not attained by simply saying, “Jesus is Lord.” It is passing through the Narrow Gate. In other words, it entails sacrifice.

Three things we are called to Sacrifice:

1. Since all things come to pass, the challenge is to LET GO. Often we forget that we came into the world with nothing. We, too, are leaving the world with nothing. Yet throughout our life, we have difficulty letting go. We always try to hold on and accumulate. In the process, we clutter our lives and make them complicated. When we let go, we make life more simple and give God the space to work on our lives.
   
2. Reaching out to other people. It is common to think that it is “safer” to just deal with people we are comfortable with. In the process, we stereotype, we judge, we alienate, we stereotype some more. In fact, nowadays, it is easier to judge and condemn without us knowing their story. “Whatever you do to the least of your brethren, you do unto Christ.”
   
3. A Fruitful life. How many of us are going through life with all the excuses: mahirap lang ako, hindi ko kaya gawin ito, hindi ako sinoportahan ng aking magulang, and the excuses continue. How true is the saying, “Sa taong ayaw, lahat may dahilan. Sa taong gusto, lahat kakayanan.”

In every Mass, we remember that while Eternal life is forever, it starts now with the choices we make in life.