Death ! Oh Death!!, the very thought of it is bitter to someone who’s prosperous, living peacefully with his possessions, free of worries and still able to enjoy his food. Whereas its sentence is welcome to someone living in poverty, with failing health, very old, burdened with worries, blind and without hope. Sirach 41 verse 3 advised us not to be afraid of it. Because it had come to those before us and it will come to those after us. And that the Lord has decreed it for every living creature. The Bible went further to ask us, who are we to object to what the Most High wishes. We are also told that, in the world of the dead, no one will care whether one lived ten years, a hundred or a thousand years.
Death is that which comes into being from nothing and will return to nothing. A person’s body amounts to nothing but a good reputation will last forever. Therefore, we are urge to protect our reputation, it will outlive us and last larger than a thousand treasures of Gold. A good life lasts only a short time but a good reputation will last forever.
We are asked biblically to mourn for someone that dies, that we should weep and wail to show how deeply we feel the loss. Indeed, we are asked to weep bitterly and passionately for the death of a dear one. That we should observe the proper period of mourning for the person, mourn for a whole day or maybe two, so as to keep people from talking. Then after all, that we should pull ourselves together and reconcile ourselves to the loss. We are further admonished that grief can undermine one’s health and can even lead to death. Of course, grief lingers on after the death of a loved one but that it is not wise to let it lead to someone’s poverty.
Basically, that we should not lose ourselves in sorrow, we are advised to drive it away. Knowing fully well that we must all die some day. We are made to understand again that there is no way to bring the dead person back. That all our sorrow does him or her no good, and it hurts you. We are asked not to forget that we will die someday just as the person that died. We are also reminded that today, it was his or her turn; tomorrow it will be ours. Again that when the dead have been laid to rest, that we should let the memory of them fade, and that once they are gone, we should take courage.
Oh my goodness, of all these biblical admonitions, l still cannot hold back the tears down my cheeks that l have experienced since l lost a dear and lovable woman in my life. An Amazon of kindness and support. Someone l have always looked up to, my role model. Someone you will see and testified that indeed she is a human being. My motivator, my home supporter, the laughter of good news, my counselor and my confidant.
In her death, l ask this question, must all mortals die and sincerely l received a meek and quiet answer that says, yes my daughter, everything created is bound to die someday.
So in as much as we weep and wail for the dead, God is not unaware of the incident, to us we may be asking why?! Why!! and why!!!, the truth of the matter is that, the owner has taken His own proper time. Therefore, since our existence in life, we will one day depart to the world of the dead, it’s now wise and wiser to draw closer to God, who knows our ending from our beginning. Honestly speaking, l am still amazed at the death of Mrs. Hilda Adaure Onyeneke (Nee Nwachukwu). Ada ora eji eme onu. Adanne to both the great and powerful. A mother of a renowned Rev. Father, a great exemplary woman of our time. A mother of well respected and honoured men and women in the society, Adanne gburugburu.
Chaii, death you did not do well. Oh Death, why? and I mean how dare you. So my brethren, it is now obvious to me in particular that, indeed all mortals will die someday. However, in all, l weep each hour, and time l remember that a humble and simple person has gone home to her Creator. We are advised not to question the supremacy of God anytime one loses a dear one yet l have come to realize that indeed life is vanity upon vanity without Christ.
Sometimes l laugh, Oh yes I laugh seriously because am yet to know the true meaning of this life where one loses in a twinkle of an eye, a great and good woman to behold. Go in peace, we will continue to say, go in peace to the dead, yet our hearts bleed so much that unless God alone consoles, no one can.
I understand that every pain teaches a lesson and every lesson changes a reasonable person. And my
only consolation is that each time l weep and wail for the dead, God understands the emotional feeling attached. Who is asking me to stop crying for the death of Adanne, if you are in my shoes, won’t you cry, Oh my God, if l have cried amiss, forgive me Oh Lord, l am not crying in vain and you know everything, Father.
Let us therefore be more friendly with God, this is because at the end of our time here on earth, we shall not be going with our husband, wife, children, sister, brother but with our good work on earth. Mrs. Hilda fought a good fight, and she has gone to receive her crown of victory from our Messiah, our Creator who has taken a saint of our time to be with.
In conclusion, my brethren, let us console ourselves whenever we see ourselves in an unexpected situation. No matter what happens in life, let us keep a good heart. A heart of patience and trust and we should not allow the darkness of this world to harden our hearts. I am smiling, Oh yes, l am. We need to smile over all circumstances around us whether good or bad because definitely the smile will increase our face value. So my dearly beloved, let us begin to smile……
Shalom.
