Who can live without hope? We need it each day to give us the strength to go on. We hold on to it during our most painful struggles. It is hope alone that carries us through when even faith seems to grow dim.
What happens then when we lose all hope?
In our modern secular world, perhaps euthanasia can make us see the outcome.
Where despair once seemed like a vague shadow, euthanasia steps in and concretizes it. Where it seemed to be but a faint whisper, euthanasia gives it a firm voice. Speaking loud and clear, euthanasia declares the death of hope.
Is it the end?
It’s quite ironic how euthanasia appears to be a beacon of hope for those suffering.
In places where assisted euthanasia is legal, people can even wait in line, hoping to be the next one to finally secure approval.
For such people, euthanasia is their only “hope” to end their unbearable suffering. It is found to be the only alternative they could hope for if they do not wish to see themselves in a future filled with pain.
Euthanasia puts an end to it all. The pain, the suffering, the countless days and nights of agony. It puts an end to those persisting questions that keep on repeating at the back of one’s mind:
“When will it all end?”
“Will there ever be a solution?”
“Is this life still worth living?”
“Is there such a thing as a miracle?”
Yes, euthanasia puts an end to everything
It puts an end to any hope of healing or recovery. It puts an end to people’s longing to ever see and talk to their loved ones again.
Any person who has ever experienced the grief of losing a loved one will tell you that there is no beauty in death. Some pain may end, but the wound of separation will linger on. The emptiness and the loss will replace everything that you once had with the person you loved.
Let us not glorify euthanasia because it is simply a thief. By advocating death, it puts an end to life.
If I were not a Catholic
Before anyone thinks I’m totally immune to pain or unaware of the suffering of the sick, let me make it clear that I am not.
My tolerance to pain is very low. I feel burdened by illnesses that are easily borne by other people.
I’m also very sensitive to the suffering of my loved ones. I can’t bear to see any of them suffering because of their concern for me.
Had I not been a Catholic, I could have easily been swept away by the kind of despair that covers the world today.
The faith that changes everything
The way you see things changes by the kind of faith that you have.
If you only see this life in terms of physical existence, you wouldn’t see the things that believers see with their spiritual perspective.
It is true that some things can still be grasped dimly even by those who do not believe. But even that little light can easily be extinguished by the ideas being cultivated by the world around us.
We see love dimly, but we do not see its true power. We see light in our relationships but we are prevented from forming eternal bonds. We see the beauty of life, but we are blinded from seeing a world that is far more beautiful and lasting.
The pain that cannot take away our dignity
Who would prevent a child from being born just because that child would experience the pain of a scraped knee from running and playing? Who would prevent a human being from living just because one would experience the pain of a broken heart?
We can tolerate some pain in life because we know the greater value of other things.
It is the same once we see things with spiritual eyes. We can pray for the grace to bear more suffering because we can see its eternal implications. We can choose to bear our limited days of trial because we are aware of the true value of each moment of our lives.
Final thoughts
Hope is a valuable thing. By it, we are driven to reach for our heart’s deepest desires. Through its power, we begin to accomplish things we never thought we could do.
Perhaps the question now is, “What kind of hope do you have?”
Because if our hope is anchored only on this life, our hope is weak and fickle. Its flame can easily be put out by despair.
But if our hope is in Christ, then our hope is secure. By that hope, we can strive for heaven. Through the power of that hope, we can see the eternal value of each moment of our God-given lives.
“The sick, the elderly, the handicapped and the dying teach us that weakness is a creative part of human living, and that suffering can be embraced with no loss of dignity.” – Pope John Paul II
“Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.” CCC 2277
Jocelyn Soriano is the author of the book Defending My Catholic Faith.
“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” – 1 Peter 3:15 (NABRE)
Get my books on other Digital Stores
You may also want to read “Can Grief Be Our Bridge To Heaven?”
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In