My dear mother was dying and had expressed to us several times throughout her life that she did not believe in an afterlife. This was the way she was raised in the Japanese Shinto religion. My mother was an active, busy woman, much younger than her true years. Never idle, always doing for family. This came to an abrupt halt in late 2004. Now her life was quickly passing away from an uncontrollable and fast moving cancer racing throughout her body.
The hospice nurse asked, ‘would you like a minister to start visiting’? I thought this would be wonderful and might bring her some measure of comfort, if any was to be found for her. It did not materialize. I too, was as a leper and an outcast for bringing Christ’s name into the sick room.
I understood, when I heard the irate voice of my sister on the other end of the telephone, that it had not entered her heart that by trying to prevent someone’s right to hear the full Gospel of Christ, she herself was imposing and reinforcing her own unbelief system, even up to our mother’s death bed!
My sister was raised a Catholic and is an unbeliever in anything today. To believers, Christ and His promises are our only hope. This was also the hope at the end for one repentant thief crucified next to Christ:
And he said unto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom”. And Jesus said unto him, “Verily, I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:40-43
Where is there any value to anyone in anything in a world that is quickly passing away? There is no comfort found anywhere but in the Savior and His Truth.
A priest was called in to perform the last rites. He came and left.
No... without hope, it is a sad passing. Soon after, alone with my dear mother at her bedside, she did indeed hear God’s full Gospel, and I believe even through her pain she knew and confirmed to me that Christ is true. Two days later, Mom opened her eyes briefly to say good-by, then took her last breath.
April 30, 2005
“God is Spirit. Those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in Truth”. John 4:24
