Summary: <br> The Cross of Christ Illumines. . .Death<br> Steps to Take as You Follow Christ<br> Ask—Who can save me from death?<br> Seek—Pray for the dead, especially those you have known in life—family, friends, co-workers, and benefactors. When you are at Mass, call to mind those who have died when the priest mentions them in the Eucharistic Prayer.<br> Knock—Meditate on 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14.<br> We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.<br> Think about how Jesus grieved at the tomb of Lazarus and how he has modeled what Christian grief should look like. How has society’s denial of death affected the way people are allowed to grieve in our culture?<br> If people who have died come to mind when you read over this passage, pray for them.<br> Transform Your Life—An ancient Christian practice is to remember death. This is not a morbid fascination with the inevitable but a clarifying experience, reminding us that our final end need not be death but life with God, and that the shortness of our earthly existence should be focused on doing whatever will build up God’s kingdom.<br> <a href="http://amywelborn.com/Michael_Dubruiel.html" rel="attachment wp-att-21024"></a><br> The author of <a href="http://amywelborn.com/Michael_Dubruiel.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Power of the Cross: Applying the Passion of Christ in Your Life</a>, Michael Dubriuel, passed away in 2009. His wife, author Amy Welborn, has made his book available as a free e-book! We HIGHLY encourage you to download this exceptional work.<br> <a href="http://amywelborn.com/Michael_Dubruiel.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Power of the Cross </a>is now available as a free e-book,<br> check out more information by going <a href="http://amywelborn.com/Michael_Dubruiel.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a><br> Check out more at the <a href="https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/michael-dubruiel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Discerning Hearts’ Michael Dubruiel page</a><br> Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.<br> <br>
