“Blessed Spiritual Death to Self”

What does this mean for us? What does this victory over death mean in a world where death still reigns at the end of every human life, where death still has an iron grip of fear in the hearts of so many? Christianity’s answer is this: we participate in Christ’s death and resurrection. We join him in his death and therefore share in his new life and victory over death. In Jesus’ words, “whoever loses his life will find it,” “whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” In C. S. Lewis’ words, “Our enemy…becomes our servant: bodily Death, the monster, becomes blessed spiritual Death to self” (Miracles ch. 14). Again, this is an answer to death that ought to make us burst with joy. For a more complete description, see “The Paradox of “Whoever Loses His Life Will Find It”,” “Saint Paul and C. S. Lewis: Death to Self and Life in Christ,” and “Death and Resurrection” Parts II, III, and IV.