Honorable Death

I may have a different view on what an honorable death is compared with what is read today in our daily papers.

For me it simply means a heroic death when one dies for a just or noble cause or in death they achieved feats for the common good. Some who died an honorable death among my list include Muelmar Magallanes, PVT Venancio Ancheta --- both died in the murky flood water at the height of Ondoy while saving dozens of lives. Ninoy Aquino freed a captive and oppressed nation. The Franciscan Fr. Maximillian Kolbe took the place of a father to die in the gas chamber. Mahatma Gandhi, a non-violence teacher ironically died through violence. Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador died fighting for the rights of the poor and the oppressed. Polish Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko died fighting an atheistic regime and siding his people. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta dedicated her life to love the most unloved.

May I add the great Christian martyrs centuries ago who did not fear the sword, wild animals and Emperors instead of recanting their faith.

As a Catholic, committing suicide is a dishonorable death at its best for life is a gift no one has the right to extinguish except its giver, the Almighty! It is an outright refusal of the love of the all-loving God to take one’s own life.

Death cannot save or embellish reputation. What one has done in life is spelled out by the small line separating the year s/he was born to the year s/he dies in the tombstone.

These days, it seems that the more wealth and power one has in this country, the more that they are believed to live or die an honorable death. The truth is, those who die because of human neglect and dehumanization on the part of government officials die a more meaningful death than the death of their “executioners”.  Oh, yes, there are rich and powerful who are upright but in five, I doubt if there is one!  We should not forget that this is a graft and corruption infested country.

As a nation and as a people we are gifted with rich natural resources and talents but we remain to live this kind of life because we do not really know or refuse to know the meaning of an honorable death.

Our focus is a life of greed and a good life at the expense of the suffering most.