DEATH, THE FRIEND

There is a story about a person who was afraid of death. He spent a long period in prayer and penance to please God. Then God appeared before him in a dream and asked his wish. He prayed to deliver him from death. God answered that death was inevitable for man and so this prayer could not be granted. He then requested God to give him a clear warning before his death. God agreed and vanished. Overjoyed, he started to lead a life of leisure and sinful pleasures, hoping to turn to God as soon as God issues a warning about impending death. In course of time, his hair became grey, skin got wrinkled, health deteriorated and his teeth were lost. Still he continued his sinful ways.

Finally at the moment of death, he had a vision of God, ready to declare his death and judge his deeds. The man complained, "Why didn't you warn me earlier? You have not kept your word!" God replied, "I gave you a series of warnings - your greying hair, wrinkling skin, failing health and falling teeth were the warning signals of an imminent end. But you ignored the warnings. Now you have to meet your fate."

Death often appears unexpectedly. At every moment of life, we must be prepared and be ready to meet and greet death as a friend.

"You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life: then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?"{Luke 12:20}. Let us save our riches in heaven. {Luke 12:33}.

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By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India.

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