Question: There is a petition for a shameless and painless repose in the Litany but more often than not people die in pain and sorrows. What do we ask for then?
Answer: The “shameless” death means that we have to entrust our immortal souls to God. We must have faith and peace inside. We say that we hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come but we are limited by the time and space of this world. What does the life of the world to come to look like? What will happen after death? It is too tricky; we can barely comprehend it. However, when you see a person who is about to depart from this life and, in spite of all pain, his eyes radiate light, hope, absence of panic, and trust in God, it has a huge influence on all people around that dying person. I recall the death of a woman who had worked for the KGB. She did not have any family, except for two kids. Her husband had abandoned them. It was really tragic. I gave her communion just a couple of days before she reposed. She was assured that her children would be taken care of and that God would not leave them alone. She looked frightening, her skin was yellowish; yet her eyes were filled with so much liveliness, so much trust, and so much love! I don’t know why but I wanted to stay by her deathbed for as long as I could. “I’d like to have the spiritual power of this brave woman, too,” I thought to myself. This must be that shameless and peaceful kind of death when a person knows where and to whom he is about to go. May God grant everyone a death like this!
