Pope Francis: ‘We begin to die
when we forget about death’
In a video message sent on Thursday, Pope Francis reflects
on the meaning of death, saying the question is really one about life.
By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis sent a video message to participants in the 4th World
Meeting of Young People, organized by Scholas Occurrentes and World ORT.
The encounter began in Mexico City on 28 October.
The end came on Thursday, coinciding with Halloween, and
just ahead of the Feast of All Saints on Friday and the Feast of All Souls on
Saturday, which is known in Mexico as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
End versus aim
In his message (original in Spanish), the Pope took the
occasion to reflect on “the end”, using a similarity in terms found in Romance
languages (el final: the [temporal] end vs. el fin: the aim
or end goal).
“The question of death is really a question about life.”
Pope Francis repeated that seemingly-paradoxical idea just
to be clear: “It is death that allows life to remain alive!”
He said the “end goal” is what allows a story to be written
or a painting to be painted.
The Holy Father invited the students in Mexico City to pay
attention to “each small purpose of everyday life”, like the end of each word
and the end of each silence.
“Only a life that is conscious of the fact that this
exact instant will end works to make it eternal.”
Death, he said, kills our “illusion of omnipotence” and
teaches us to engage with the mystery of life.
“This gives us confidence to jump into the void and to
realize that we will not fall, that we will not sink, and that there is always
Someone there to catch us. Both before and after the end.”
Not knowing the exact “end” of our life, he said, leads us
to feel fragile but also opens us up to listen to other people and to create
something together.
‘Nothing new under the sun’
Pope Francis turned his thoughts to the nature of modern
human society.
“The world is already formed, and everything is already
explained.”
He said society refuses to leave questions unanswered,
considering its ideas fully-formed and well-defined.
“In a world that worships autonomy, self-sufficiency, and
self-realization, there seems to be no place for the other,” he said.
Our world seems to be accelerated at such a rapid pace that
no interruptions are allowed, leaving us enslaved and “put to sleep so that we
forget what it means to stop in the end.”
“But the very oblivion of death is also its beginning.”
The Pope said a culture that forgets death begins to wither
and die. “He who forgets death has already begun to die.”
Die for one another
Pope Francis thanked the students participating in the
Scholas Occurrentes meeting, because they had the courage to confront the
question of death.
And he said there are three types of death that really fill
us with life:
“The death of every instant. The death of the ego. The death
of one world gives way to a new one.”
“Remember, if death is not to have the last word, it is
because in life we learned to die for one another.”
A Vatican Radio English-language translation is below:
Dear young people of Scholas Occurrentes gathered from so
many nations of the world, I celebrate with you the end of
this meeting. I want to stop there. I wish to dwell on this: the end.
What would become of this encounter if it did not have an
end? Perhaps it wouldn't even be an encounter. And what would become of this
life if it did not also have its end?
I know some will say: “Father, don't put on a funeral face.”
But let us think this through. I know from a good source that you kept the
question of death burning throughout this entire experience. You played,
thought, and created out of your differences.
Good! I celebrate and thank you for this. Because, you know
what? The question of death is really a question about life. And keeping the
question of death open, perhaps, is the greatest human responsibility towards
the question of life.
Just as words are born out of silence and return to it,
allowing us to hear their meanings, so it is with life. This may sound somewhat
paradoxical, but... It is death that allows life to remain alive!
It is the end goal that allows a story to be written, a
painting to be painted, two bodies to embraced. But watch out, the end goal is
not found only at the end. Perhaps we should pay attention to each small
purpose of everyday life. Not only at the end of the story – we never know when
it ends – but at the end of each word, at the end of each silence, of each page
that is being written. Only a life that is conscious of the fact that this
exact instant will end works to make it eternal.
On the other hand, death reminds us that it is impossible to
be, understand, and encompass everything. It comes as a slap in the face to our
illusion of omnipotence. It teaches us throughout life to engage ourselves with
mystery. This gives us confidence to jump into the void and to realize that we
will not fall, that we will not sink, and that there is always Someone there to
catch us. Both before and after the end.
The "not knowing" part of this question results in
fragility that opens us to listening to and meeting other people. It is that
rising above the commotion that calls us to create something, and urges us to
come together to celebrate it.
Lastly, the question of death has driven different
communities, peoples, and cultures to be formed throughout the ages and
throughout all lands. These are stories that have fought in so many places to
stay alive, while others were never born. That is why today, perhaps as never
before, we should touch on this question.
The world is already formed, and everything is already
explained. There is no room for open questions. Is that true? It is true, but
it is also not true. That is our world. It is already fully-formed, and there
is no place for unanswered questions. In a world that worships autonomy,
self-sufficiency, and self-realization, there seems to be no place for the
other. Our world of plans and infinite acceleration – always speeding up – does
not allow for interruptions. So the worldly culture that enslaves also tries to
put us to sleep so we forget what it means to stop at last.
But the very oblivion of death is also its beginning. And a
culture that forgets death begins to die within. He who forgets death has
already begun to die.
That is why I thank you so much! Because you have had the
courage to confront this question and to pass – with your own bodies – through
the three deaths that, by emptying us, fill us with life! The ‘death’ of every
instant. The death of the ego. The death of one world gives way to a new one.
Remember, if death is not to have the last word, it is
because in life we learned to die for one another.
Finally, I would like to thank especially World ORT and each
one of the people and institutions that made possible this activity in which
the culture of encounter has become tangible.
I ask each of you please, each in his own way, each
according to his own convictions: don't forget to pray for me. Thank you.
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