📚 Scripture Readings: Hebrews 1:1-12 | Mark 2:23-3:5
🛠️ The Ladder of Divine Ascent—Step 6: Remembrance of Death
In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we meet Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly man who scorns joy, love, and human connection. He lives only for wealth, hoarding his resources while neglecting those around him. But on Christmas Eve, he is visited by three ghosts—the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. It is only when he is shown his own death—a lonely, unlamented departure from this world—that he wakes up in horror, desperate to change his ways.
This is a powerful lesson: only when Scrooge remembers death does he begin to truly live. The story stirs something in all of us, reminding us that time is running out and that we must not waste the life God has given us. We, too, must wake up before it is too late. As the saying goes, “Make hay while the sun shines.”
This is the essence of Step 6 of The Ladder of Divine Ascent—the remembrance of death. It is not about fearing death, but about gaining clarity on what truly matters.
Remembrance of Death – The Key to True Life
In Step 6 of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, St. John Climacus teaches that remembrance of death is a powerful spiritual tool that leads to repentance, detachment, and transformation.
“The remembrance of death…produces the putting aside of cares and constant prayer and guarding of the mind.
This is not a morbid preoccupation but a liberating awareness that helps us live with eternal purpose. Climacus says:
“A true sign of those who are mindful of death in the depth of their being is a voluntary detachment from every creature and complete renunciation of their own will.”
This is the key: those who daily reflect on death learn to let go of attachments and reorder their lives in light of eternity.
St. Theophan the Recluse said, “Keep the thought of death always before your eyes, for it is the end of all earthly things and the entrance to eternity.”
The saints remind us that the person who forgets death lives recklessly, but the one who keeps it before his eyes lives wisely and deliberately. This is the spiritual antidote to the world’s distractions.
“Our mind is so darkened by the fall that unless we force ourselves to remember death, we can completely forget about it. When we forget about death, we begin to live on earth as if we were immortal; forgetting physical death, we die a spiritual death.” – St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
“Expect death every day, and you will not sin; for he who prepares for death prepares for eternal life.” – St. Anthony the Great
The Illusion of Time—The Devil’s Great Deception
One of Satan’s most effective deceptions is convincing us that we have plenty of time. We assume we will live to old age, that we can repent later, and that we will have another opportunity to turn to God. But none of us knows when our time will come.
James 4:14 says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
C.S. Lewis, in The Screwtape Letters, has the senior demon instruct his apprentice not to convince humans that there is no God, but rather to keep them so distracted that they never think about their mortality. If the devil can keep us preoccupied with trivial things, we will never ask life’s ultimate questions.
St. Jerome, one of the most significant scholars of the early Church, kept a skull on his desk as a reminder that death was approaching. Every time he saw it, he remembered that his life was fleeting and that he must focus on eternity rather than worldly distractions.
Think about when a student has a major assignment or presentation in school. When they are first assigned the task, they feel like they have plenty of time. They procrastinate. But as the deadline approaches, urgency increases. The night before the presentation, they cram to prepare, desperate to avoid humiliation.
Our final presentation before Christ is coming—and we do not know when. Will we be ready? Or will we stand before Him unprepared?
This is why, in every single service of the Orthodox Church, we pray:
“For a Christian ending to our lives, painless, blameless, and peaceful, and for a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ, let us ask the Lord.”
Our eternity will be defined by how we steward this life.
An Eternal Focus—Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows
Jesus gives us two powerful parables that teach us the urgency of using our time wisely:
- The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30): A master entrusts his servants with money, which is a metaphor for God’s grace. Some invest wisely, but one buries his talent, wasting his opportunity. The master rewards the faithful servants and punishes the idle one, saying, “To everyone who has, more will be given… but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” The lazy servant is cast out. This parable reminds us all that the Master is coming back and he will reward each of us according to our deeds. God has given each of us time, gifts, and opportunities—what are we doing with them? Eternal reward or loss hinges on our focus.
- The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21): A wealthy man’s land produces an abundant harvest, so he plans to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to store his goods, intending to relax and enjoy life. God calls him a fool, saying, “This very night your life will be demanded from you,” and asks who will get his wealth then. The man focused on accumulating material wealth for himself, ignoring God and eternity. Jesus concludes, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich in faith and devotion to God.” It teaches that earthly riches are temporary, while spiritual devotion has eternal value.
Scripture and the Remembrance of Death
Hebrews 1:1-12 – The Eternality of Christ
In today’s Epistle reading, St. Paul reminds us that while all creation perishes, Christ remains forever:
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain.” (Hebrews 1:10-11)
This passage calls us to set our sights on the eternal. The things of this world fade, but our souls are meant for eternity.
Mark 2:23-3:5 – Jesus Confronts a Misguided View of Holiness
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, confronting the Pharisees’ legalistic approach to holiness. Their rigid rules blinded them to the true purpose of the Law: to bring people to life.
This relates to the remembrance of death because it reminds us that true holiness is not found in empty religious observance but in aligning our hearts with God’s eternal purpose.
Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy… but store up treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Saint Paul the Apostle says in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Why Focus on Eternity?
Because this life is fleeting.
In Psalm 39:4-5, David prays, “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.”
Christ says, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:27)
A Focus on Death Brings Purification and Transformation
St. Anthony the Great: “Expect death every day, and you will not sin; for he who prepares for death prepares for eternal life.”
St. Silouan the Athonite: “Keep your mind on death and eternity, and you will see how small the things of this world are compared to the life awaiting us.”
St. Macarius the Great: “The soul that remembers its departure from this life will hasten to purify itself, knowing that death opens the door to the judgment of God.”
Practical Ways to Live in the Remembrance of Death
How can we apply this in daily life?
- Begin the Day with Perspective: Each morning, say, “Lord, today may be my last. Let me live accordingly.”
- Keep Eternity Before Your Eyes: Do whatever works to keep eternity at the forefront of your consciousness. Jerome kept a skull on his desk where he worked every day. I have an icon of the Last Judgment in my office. Don’t allow yourself to grow complacent. Instead, remain mindful that you will stand before Christ and give an account, and that day could be today.
- Examine Your Attachments: What are you holding onto that has no eternal value? Social status? Career ambitions? Resentments?
- Make Confession a Priority: If death came tonight, would you be ready? Frequent confession keeps us in a state of spiritual vigilance.
- Serve Others: The best way to prepare for death is to love deeply and serve selflessly.
Final Thought: Death is Not the End—It is the Beginning
The saints did not fear death because, for them, it was the doorway to true life. St. John of Damascus says:
“Death is not to be feared but prepared for, since it is the door through which we enter into the eternal presence of Christ.”
When we embrace the remembrance of death, we stop living for fleeting pleasures and start preparing for the Kingdom. Christ has already conquered death—our task is to live with that victory in mind.
“He who hourly yields himself to death is a saint.” — St. John Climacus
Hebrews 12:2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Reflection Questions
- If my life were to end today, what unfinished spiritual business would I regret?
- What distractions keep me from living with an eternal perspective?
- How can I use my time, talents, and relationships to prepare for my final presentation before Christ?
Let us remember death, not in fear, but in hope, knowing that it is the gateway to eternal life in Christ.
This concludes Day 6 of our 40 Days of Lenten Reflections. Tomorrow, we explore Step 7 – Mourning, and how holy sorrow leads us to joy.
May your Lenten journey be filled with the light of eternity!
