THE entire country is still mourning last Sunday's tragic loss of over 170 Nigerians as a result of the ill-fated Dana plane that crashed at Iju, a suburb of Lagos. Earlier, there was a multiple ghastly accident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in which over 10 souls perished and several vehicles were burnt. Equally was the Nigerian cargo plane that crash landed at Accra, Ghana, killing all those on board. This, no doubt, is a period of gloom for our country.My condolence goes to the bereaved families, and I pray that the good Lord will grant the deceased eternal rest in His bosom.The above brings to mind the inevitability of human passage and the vulnerability of our existence. It should remind us that every one of us has a date to keep with fate. It does not matter how rich or poor you are; it does not matter how prominent or famous you are. We all must die someday. But the time and how, no one knows. I believe if last Saturday, someone had approached the victims to warn them that their death was near, some of them would have discarded the warning. If they had been certain that death was lurking in that flight, they would have opted out and stayed at home. But alas!Everyday, thousands of people die the world over; just as many more are born. It is the way of nature, since the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve. The truth is that our lives are in God's hands and no one can tell when He would choose to ask for them. We are mere clay, but for the breath of the spirit that gives us life. Once this body is traumatised beyond salvage, the spirit would drift away back to the creator, leavingthe body to rot away.'No one knows, however, when that day and hour will come, neither the angels in heaven nor the son; the Father alone knows.' (Matt. 24: 36)It is not how long a man lives that matters, but how well. When you are no more, you would be remembered by the legacy you left behind; the number of lives you were able to touch positively and how well you were able to contribute your quota to the well-being of humanity.Like a popular hymn says, 'we are all visitors here on earth; heaven is our true home'. If we believe this, then we should live our lives like true pilgrims on an onward journey to our true home.But the life everlasting we all crave is not for everyone. There are conditions to be met, and these are well stated in the Book of Life. Everlasting life is only for those who lived impact-full lives, with the fear of God as their bedrock.Since we all know that life here on earth is transient, why then do we concern ourselves more with acquiring worldly treasures to the detriment of our souls' Why are we so anxious to nourish our body to the detriment of our spirit and conscience' Why do some of us live like Lords and oppress the poor as if we shall live forever'Jesus Christ aptly made it clear: 'What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul'' Yes. Of what benefit is it if you acquire so much wealth and fame only to end up in hell for all eternity.Let us pause and reflect on these. We are not here by chance. God created us all to live fulfilled lives in love and happiness, to share in His divinity, both here on earth and in heaven. We must therefore realise that we are accountable to Him. Some day, He would ask of us how well we lived our lives, using the several graces He has provided for us abundantly.Our prayer should be for God to protect and guide us against all forms of untimely death so that we can live to actualise our destinies. Our prayer also is that God will touch the heart of our leaders and all those in positions of authority so that they would be more responsible, proactive and diligent to the welfare of those that have been placed under them.In all, I beseech you today to endeavour to live each day as if it were the last, knowing fully well that no one knows the time or the hour.Msgr. Gabriel Osu is Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos
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