Alive isn't "not dead yet"

||| Alive isn’t “not dead yet” |||

“The fact that you are not yet dead is not sufficient proof that you are alive. It takes more than that. It takes courage—above all, the courage to face death. Only one who is alive can die. Aliveness is measured by the ability to die. In peak moments of aliveness we are reconciled with death... It is fear of death that prevents us from coming fully alive.” -David Steindl-Rast

We have a way of being, thinking, and living that we feel safe within. It has gotten us this far. But, often times it is insufficient to take us forward and we need to die to it in order to find life. It takes courage and great faith. Often times we only summon that courage when it is more painful to remain where we are than move forward. But it is there now.

The “pattern of right teaching” passed down to us from Christ to the Apostles, to the early Church Mothers and Fathers is that Christ has defeated death and transformed it into a threshold of resurrected life. When we can “know” this it summons that courage within and we can find Life.

So, what kind of death do you fear most? Death of dreams, career, independence, security, your image? Perhaps this fear of death is the last thing remaining preventing Life within you.