Rev. Reed Lee Pedersen's
“Every person dies two deaths, when they breathe their last breath and somewhere in the future when the last person to remember them dies." Have you heard something like this quote before? I was unable to find the true etymology of this quote and others like it, so I decided write out my own version. The point of it is that we die again when we are no longer remembered. This is the basis for the movie, “Coco”. In the movie people in the land of the dead vanish forever when they are no longer remembered. This may be true for the “Mulan” universe as well considering the Great Stone Dragon is destroyed when Mushu accidentally destroys his statue. The need to be remembered (or not forgotten) is what drives a lot of people. It pushes people to do great things. It pushes people to do heinous things. Statues, paintings, and buildings are made to set a person’s name in the history books, so that they can live on forever. The need to honor those who have died is the whole reason we have memorials. You might see, “In honor of so-and-so please donate some money in their name to this cause or this church.” These actions are taken so that a person can be remembered. (Side note: church memorials are meant to honor God first and foremost in memory of the deceased. Unfortunately, more often than not honoring the memory is more important than honoring God when memorials are being decided upon.) I think the fear of not being remembered is really just an extension of the fear of dying. The great thing about Jesus’ death and resurrection for us is we are promised to live forever. As Jesus hung from the cross he was being mocked and rebuked by the Roman soldiers. He was also being mocked by one the men being crucified next to him. The other person being crucified next to Jesus defends Jesus and accepts his own fate before God. Then he asks something of Jesus: Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” [Jesus] replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” –Luke 23:42-43 In living forever with God we are remembered forever, too. This is something to chew on as we move forward into our lives. This rambling does not and is not trying to discourage us from attempting to do great things in our world to make it a better place. Instead, let this rambling is a reminder that you will always be remembered. Even if nobody knows who you are, God does. Points to Ponder:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorPastor Reed is a first call pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church in Andover, Illinois. Archives
July 2019
|