This series, which will span several weeks, is a recounting of “Wisdom from Walburga” from the mind and heart of Mother Maria-Michael, O.S.B., abbess of the Abbey of St. Walburga, in answer to some of the foundational questions and concerns of countless Catholics on the road to Heaven.
‘Memento Mori’: Remember death, and be not afraid
When Jesus rose from the dead, he defeated death and opened the gates of Heaven to believers. Since then, the Christian faith has been unafraid to look in the face of death, confident in the hope of eternity. The saying “memento mori,” Latin for “remember you will die,” has echoed through the centuries as a faithful reminder to keep eternity before our eyes.
As Mother Maria-Michael has matured in her vocation, having spent 48 years in the Abbey of St. Walburga, she has deepened in her vision for eternity, appreciating that even the smallest things have eternal impact.
“In the Rule, it says, ‘Keep your eyes on eternity. Keep death before you daily,’” Mother said, reflecting on her own process of growing in appreciation for the eternal. “As you get older, you can almost see in a straight line to eternity, so you do everything with that view. That changes from when you’re younger. You don’t think of it that way.
“I heard somebody say that when you die, who you are is going with you. How you think, what you’re doing, how you pray, what you did on Earth is what you’re going to do when you die. So, are we thinking about how we’re doing that? What am I going to be when I die? What is the work that I’m doing that I would do in eternity?” she continued.
With a vision for eternity, everything else falls into place. Priorities become clear, and the wheat naturally separates from the chaff.
“That’s when you start that maturing part, recognizing those things and letting those things ripen up,” Mother said. “Take to heart loving others. Take to heart encouraging others. Take to heart the part of, if you see somebody doing something wrong, tell them for the sake of eternity so they have time to change. That gets exciting. That is really an exciting part of life: when you can see the road into eternity, and it does change how you live.”
The Wisdom from Walburga is another ancient piece of wisdom: memento mori. Everything we do has eternal significance. You matter! Take a moment today to develop a more robust vision for eternity and acting for God’s glory today.