The Memory of Death

We Should Remember Death

The Christian soul that lives with a profound hope of life beyond the grave and the sweet anticipation of the most desirable Paradise, attempts to maintain a vivid memory of death. The Wisdom of Sirach says: "In all you do, remember the end of your life, and then you will never sin" (7,36).

The Christian knows that he will live after death and, therefore, should constantly be aware of his present mortality, keeping before him his exodus from the present world, the Second Coming, the future judgment and his entry into endless eternity. For this reason St. Gregory the Theologian often repeats the saying of Plato which suggests that the present life ought to be "a meditation upon death." He advised his friend Philagrios to live "instead of the present the future and to make this life a meditation and practice of death." [1] To the priest Photios he wrote: "Our cares and our attention are concentrated on one thing only our departure from this world. And for this departure we prepare ourselves and gather our baggage as prudent travelers would do." [2] Also, St. Athanasios advises in his treatise On Virginity: "Recall your exodus every hour; keep death before your eyes on a daily basis. Remember before whom you must appear." [3] St. John of Sinai advises: "Let the memory of death sleep and awake with you." [4]
Someone perhaps could object: Is it not a morbid condition to be remembering constantly our exodus from this life? Would not this memory stifle our activities? Would not such a stance despise the present life which is a gift of God? Certainly, people who are far from Christ and who do not believe in life beyond the grave are usually panic-stricken by the memory of death. This is the reason that all of them avoid speaking about death. Even the word "death" itself is sufficient to upset them. Because of this they give themselves over to entertainments, dances and banquets with the slogan: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (Is. 22,13). With all these they attempt to forget that there is death! Even "those great words that are heard often about the prolongation of life, about the imminent overcoming of death; the desperate attempts of many persons for some security indicate without doubt their agonizing attempt to escape from the very experience of insecurity." Because sin has become over-abundant "contemporary man is haunted by an unconscious absence of security and he stubbornly refuses to open a dialogue with death." For this reason "when strong thoughts or external events bring upon his cheeks the breath of death," modern man is shaken to his very foundations. [5]
But for the man of God, who sees and examines everything under the prism of eternity, the memory of death is an essential presupposition for genuine spiritual life. It is the constant kindling for the battle against sin. This memory of death helps him to hate sin, to evaluate correctly and positively the things of the present; to evaluate appropriately the value of the "future age," which he desires with all the power of his soul. St. Maximos the Confessor teaches that the memory of death, when accompanied by the memory of God, is very helpful to the believer in his life in Christ: "Nothing is more fearful than the thought of death, and nothing is more marvelous than the memory of God." For, as he says, the memory of death "produces in the soul salutary sorrow," while the memory of God produces in the soul "joy and gladness." This is why the Prophet said, "I remembered God and was pleased" (Ps. 76,4:LXX), while the wise man of the Old Testament was advised, "Remember the end of your life, and then you will never sin" (Wis. Sir. 7,36). For it is impossible to keep oneself unwounded by sin if one does not experience the salutary "sourness" of the memory of death .[6]
But, why should we seek the words of holy men when the Lord himself repeatedly recommends the memory of death? It is worthy of note that the tone of His voice on this truth was one of command: "Watch, therefore, and pray, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming" (Mt. 24,42;26,41). A hieromartyr of our Church comments on these words of the Savior: "Through these words the God-Man was giving a warning to us all about the remembrance of death, so that we should be prepared to offer a defence, grounded in works and attentiveness, that will be acceptable to God." [7]
It is a fact that at times exaggerations have been noted on this matter. Some have emphasized beyond measure the memory of death and overlooked the holy purpose and the particular value of the present life, which is indeed a great gift of God. This, however, does not minimize at all the salutary value of this truth—a truth which does not concern only, as some think, those who live as monks but every Christian. And this because the words of the Lord are addressed to all of His disciples, of all ages and of all social classes. For the memory of death has great awakening power. "The spiritual powers are naturally aroused before the horrible image of death; they are agitated and ready to be organized into a strong defense against the first cause of death—sin(...). The anticipation of a sudden end at the height of one's activity purifies that activity of its negative elements." [8] For this reason St. Ephrem the Syrian advises that we await and prepare daily for our exodus, "for at the hour when we are not awaiting it, the fearful command will come and God help the unprepared." The message of the saint becomes more dynamic when he writes: "The harvest has arrived; this age has come to its end; angels are holding the scythe and awaiting for the Lord's signal. Let us be fearful, dear friends, for it is the eleventh hour(...) Let us be vigilant and keep awake as sleepless." On another occasion he has taught: "Behold, the days, the years and the months are passing as dreams and as an afternoon shadow, and the fearful and great parousia of Christ is coming quickly." [9] He who listens to the advice of the Lord to be awake and vigilant and to keep the memory of death, is saved from eternal death and does not fear at all the death of the body.

Endnotes

1. GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN, Letter 31, To Philagrios, PG 37, 68C.
2. GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN, Letter 168, To Photios, PG 37, 277C.
3. ATHANASIOS THE GREAT, On Virginity 23, BEPES 33, 72(36-38).
4. JOHN OF SINAI, Klimax (The Ladder), Homily 15, On Chastity and Prudence 51, ed. "Astir," Athens 1970, p. 91.
5. IOAN. KORNARAKE, Paterika Biomata tes Endekates horas (Patristic Experiences of the Eleventh Hour), Thessaloniki, 1971, p. 34,35.
6. MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR, Other Chapters, PG 90,1428.
7. PETER OF DAMASKOS, THE MARTYR, A Treasury of Divine Knowledge, The Guarding of the Intellect, The Philokalia.... transl. from the Greek and edited by G.E.H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard, Kallistos Ware (Faber & Faber, London-Boston), Vol. 3, p. 105.
8. JOHN KORNARAKIS, op. cit., p. 34,36.

9. EPHREM THE SYRIAN, Asketika (Ascetic Writings), hypo M.A. Sakkorraphou, 1864, ekd. Bas. Regopoulou, Thessaloniki, pp. 179;192;47.