“Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings are always there to guide you and so will I” (Encouraging words of Lion King Mufasa to his son Simba in the movie called, The Lion King).
Death demands us always to lift up our eyes. How sad it is to recall about the eternal journey of many who were with us, who dined with us, who had fun with us and grew along with us. They have all gone, even without a decent goodbye. Every morning we get up with the hope that they would come back to us. As we once realize that they have not yet retuned, painfully we disappear to the darkness of the night. But still we have some hope in the depth of our heart, that they may return some time.
Finally we will admit the truth that they will never be back. What an unbearable suffering it is! Yes, we will never be able to find those who were so close in front of us. An inexplicably painful experience! Is there anyone out there who can fully understand the agony I underdo? Whom I can share this very personal experience? Sadly no one! Their belongings, their bed, their room, shoes, their own style of speaking, etc…, everything is now just memories.
The death of the most loved gives us the biggest blow. What else can we do if not mourning? Who can exactly measure the intensity of his sorrow, if not he himself? No one can be blamed for that. No one gets burned until and unless one gets direct contact with the fire.
There is no such displeasing scene than seeing people attending funeral ceremonies just like viewers and passing inappropriate and unfitting comments. How odd it is to see when someone is mourning over his or her dear one’s loss, others are chatting and chuckling. Let us not show them a bit more compassion and closeness? Let us not forget about the day we all will be mourning for our dear ones.
It was on 29 December 2018 at 3 am that my sister Rev. Jessy Kadooparayil DST passed away. She died in the Caritas Hospital, Kottayam. Sometimes I think: where might she be now? I could know almost exactly all her movements while she was alive. I could imagine her in the convent, in the chapel, in her room, school, hospital, etc. Travelling in the bus, praying in the chapel, walking on the pebble courtyard, smiling softly and laughing loudly, and correcting me mildly, etc. all these scenes are now vivid memories that fill tears in the eyes. But where she is now is really a painful question.
I know for sure that she is not in the coffin under six feet of land, neither within the black marble tomb. Because human being is not just body alone, he/she has a soul too. Death happens when soul leaves the body. It is, indeed, a return trip to God. A return to the starting point! It is true what St Augustine wrote: “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” Is there in this world who is completely restful? All are restless until they get back to the beginning. Death is nothing but returning to the absolute peace.
All our departed are those who have found their rest in God. The answer to the question where might they be now can be found in the Book of Psalms: I lift my eyes up to the hills– where does my help come from? (Ps 121:12). God I lift up my eyes towards you. Where does my peace come from? All eyes are to be lifted up to God. All my beloved ones are with Him. The greatest peace and joy rest in this firm conviction. All the living and the dead are one in God.
Stars are pretty visible in the sky at night. We see them very clearly in moon light. Some time they are not visible. It doesn’t mean that they are not there. We are not able to see them. All our beloved departed ones also are just like stars in the sky. All are with God, sometimes my eyes are not able to see them. They are always up there just like guiding stars.
In the famous movie named ‘Lion King’ the father lion (Mufasa) redeems his son (Simba) from a great danger. Later, on a starry night when both are together, Simba tells his father: Dad, we will always be together. Right?
Mufasa replies: Let me tell you something my father told me. He looked at the stars and said: “Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings are always up there to guide you, and so will I.”
Samba replies: “But I can’t see them Dad.” He is not able to see the great kings of the past in those stars. Here the response of Mufasa is very much striking: keep looking son, keep looking.
Whenever I feel alone, I used to lift up my eyes. I see the shining stars in the sky and tears fill my eyes then.
Written by: Fr. Lincoln George Kadooparayil MCBS
Translated by: Fr. Jaymon Mulappanchery MCBS