UNABLE  TO  DEAL 

WITH  DEATH!

INTRODUCTION

One of life’s biggest  questions is death - the ability to deal with the reality of death.

We come now in the today’s first reading from Deuteronomy to the death of Moses - and his being replaced by Joshua.

THE BOOK OF LEGENDS - FROM THE TALMUD AND MIDRASH

A priest I know recommended many years ago that I buy a copy of The Book of Legends - Sefer Ha-Aggadah - subtitled, Legends from the Talmud and Midrash. It gives legends from way back - many before Christ - by rabbis and Jewish religious teachers.

So  I went searching for it - and finally found a copy in New York City in a Jewish book store on the upper West Side of Manhattan. It’s a big book. Its price:  $75,00.

I try to use it from time to time to get my money’s worth. So last night I looked up commentaries on this section of the Book of Deuteronomy - The Death of Moses - Chapter 5, # 137.

It begins this way: “And the Lord said unto Moses: ‘Behold thy days approach that thou must die’” (Deut. 31:14).

Moses does not like this message. He doesn’t want to die.

I remember reading Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s book on Death and Dying and how we deny death - of ourselves and others.

This section in The Book of Legends on the Death of Moses presents classic two steps in Kubler Ross’ 5 steps: Denial and Bargaining.

Let me present how this book puts what happened.

God says to Moses, “Behold your days approach that you must die.” 

Moses says, “Who me?”

Moses then draws a circle on the ground and steps into it. He says to God, “Master of the Universe “I will not budge from here till you void that decree.”

Then he says, “I’m putting no sackcloth, ashes and praying to you God that you don’t do this.”

“Sorry Moses, this is the way it works.”

Then Moses says, “After all you’ve done to create this world and after all I’ve done to save Israel, I know you won’t do this.”

God keeps saying, “Moses it’s going to happen.”

Then Moses says, “Let me become like the beasts of the fields - who eat grass and drink water, let me stay and be like them.”

“No.”

Then Moses says let me become a bird of the air and spend my time flying everywhere.

“No.”

Then he begs the stars,  then the mountains, then then the angels, to save him from death.”

“No.”

Then he says, “Okay Joshua is taking over, let me stay in his tent and be his advisor. He needs one.”  He adds, “People are going to envy him. Let me stay to prevent that.”

“No.”

Finally Moses accepts that he’s to die.

CONCLUSIONS

I talked about that section of the Book of Legends because it sounds like everyone’s story.

Here’s 3 quick points to consider.

1)   How am I thinking - when it comes to thoughts about my upcoming death.

2)   Lots of folks are scared of death, because of their sins - well today’s gospel has words from Jesus that God rejoices when a sinner who is like a lost sheep and they are found. They are more important than the 99 sheep who don’t need to repent.

3)   It’s the feast of St. Clare today. It’s a Franciscan tradition to call death, “Brother Death” and embrace him.

NOTES:

Painting on top: D, After the Funeral, original painting by Edity Dora Rey