Facing Death: Daily Mass Homily--Thursday, November 7th, 2013

            One of the realities of priesthood is that we confront death often.  Sometimes death shows up in unexpected and tragic ways and at other times through a more normal process.

            A great gift of the priesthood is seeing someone die well—someone who lives out St. Paul’s words to the Romans: “if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”  It is an inspiration to me watching someone who completely trusts God.

            Most recently Fr. Rich and I visited Fr. John Sustersic a mere hour before he died.  We priests agree that he was a living saint among us who had suffered a lot in his life.  Notably, he had been blind for decades.  I didn’t know him well, but I did hear two cool stories about this great priest.  First, he lived across the hallway at BHC from Monsignor O’Shea.  Near the end of Monsignor’s life, Fr. Sustersic went into his room to pray Night Prayer at days’ end.  I couldn’t help but wonder which priest will be doing that for me at the end of my own life.

            Second, about a week before he died, Fr. John was in a church praying.  While in prayer he saw the crucifix clearly—the first object he had seen clearly in decades.  He gazed on it and told his friend, “I think the Lord is ready for me.”

            We are surrounded by men and women who face death well—indeed, that’s what we celebrated last Friday on All Saints’ Day.  The holy ones knew that whether they lived or died, they were the Lord’s.

            Finally, reflecting on death helps us avoid judging others.  When you get caught up in gossip, annoyances or disagreements that lead to judging another remember that you, and this other person, will die. “Why then do you judge your brother or sister?”

            The thought of death should bring us to our knees, to recognize that we are the lost sheep or the lost coin in the Gospel.  In recognizing our frailty, weakness and sinfulness we do well to seek forgiveness and show mercy on others.  In so doing, we spark a party in heaven for those who have gone before us because “there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”