Princely death
AN unforgettable anecdote about the certainty of death is about a Japanese engineer who survived two atomic blasts that hit Japan in World War II. Working for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries then, Tsutomu Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on a business trip. He was getting off a streetcar when the first atomic bomb “Little Boy,” a uranium gun-type bomb, killed approximately 80,000 people. Only less than two miles away from the epicenter, Yamaguchi sustained ruptured eardrums and upper torso burns.
After spending a night at a bomb shelter in Hiroshima, Yamaguchi returned to his hometown in Nagasaki. Barely two days later, while inside his office speaking to his boss about the Hiroshima blast, Mr. Yamaguchi found himself seeing the same white light he saw in Hiroshima. The second bomb “Fat Man,” was dropped in Nagasaki, killing 70,000 people. Incidentally, Nagasaki was only alternate to the primary target, which was the city of Kokura. Due to poor visibility, “Fat Man” brought its destruction to Nagasaki instead of Kokura where Japan had one of its largest munitions plants. Yet, Yamaguchi survived both blasts only to succumb to death in 2010 at the age of 93. This experience of Mr. Yamaguchi mirrors an essential truth—everyone, in due course, dies.
Even royalty are not exempt from death. Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’S husband, died at the ripe age of 99 years. He will likely be remembered for being the longest-serving royal consort in British history, standing by his Queen for more than six decades. Knowing completely the importance of his wife’s role, Prince Philip gave up his career at the Royal Navy. He, however, continued to live an extraordinary life, helping sustain the monarchy, devoting selfless time and effort to his patronages and projects, while spewing humor and quite a few faux pas in between. Former President Barrack Obama took to Instagram in detailing that “the United States and Great Britain have a special relationship—one that has been maintained and strengthened not just by presidents and prime ministers but by the Royal Family that has outlasted them all.” Still, no matter how long Prince Philip’s life had been, and even that of Mr. Yamaguchi, life ends. Queen Elizabeth II, the longest sitting monarch, will be gone too, someday, regardless.
Death, and its paroxysm, seems to be biting swiftly the past few weeks. Last April 6, our country logged an all-time high single day tally of 382 Covid-19 deaths. Such record number was broken a mere three days after, as the statistical count clicked at 401 deaths on April 9. The loss-oflife meter seems to overflow by the second even by other causes. Young ones are not spared. Jan Catherine Sy, the daughter of Henry Sy Jr., was only 29 years of age when an organ dysfunction cut her life short, adding to a list of too many deaths, breaking a record in all of humanity. Naysayers may hasten to include in the list some government officials who, by their perennial incompetence and irredeemable indiscretion in the fight against this pandemic, seem to have instigated their own deaths, at least in the minds of the disgruntled citizenry. Premature death (that is, by one’s imagination) is still death to these misanthropists.
Some can be like Prince Philip, whose longevity is a remarkable record in its own right. Others may turn out to be a mere hush in the wind like the 23-day-old infant who passed away due to Covid-19 last year. Cautious not to sound any alarm, death can come in an atomic second. Unless you’re a Yamaguchi and can survive two highly destructive blasts, life can easily be taken away. Those who perished in Hiroshima and Nagasaki woke up not knowing that such day would be their last. But as to how one should face death is certainly the more definitive issue, especially during this pandemic. Those who are sick and battling Covid-19 as well as all kinds of disease rely on outpouring prayers from their respective support groups. Sometimes I wonder what a dying person exactly thinks and reflects upon, minutes before actual death. By inclination, I think some recollect from the past, wishing they should have done more if given more time to live. By choice, I know believers look toward the future, to the afterlife, happy at the thought of a grand reunion with Our Father in heaven. Unfortunately, those who are taken away instantaneously may not be given a chance to think at all!
Whatever the scenario, almost always, repentance comes into the picture. Interestingly, I am reminded of the attitude exhibited by the socalled thief on the cross. While this penitent thief was not named in the Bible, the Latin Gospel of Nicodemus later assigned the name Dismas, which means sunset or death in Greek. How apt! Sensing his imminent death while enduring the torment along with Jesus Christ, this thief responded in faith to the message of salvation. Luke 23:42-43 accounts for this touching conversation in Biblical history, thus: And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Since this thief believed in Jesus’ lordship, although last minute, he died alongside the Prince of Peace, peacefully. Undoubtedly relieved despite the excruciating ordeal on the cross, the thief must have expelled his last breath with a joyful smile on his face.
Lest we go overboard, I was taught that it does not take a cross-bearing sacrifice or fanatical obedience for any of us to get the “free gift” from our Heavenly Father through Jesus. If it were so, then we would be competing in terms of good works and obedience. If it were really so, then we will always wish to be at that perfect point, yearning to be there, struggling to be there, and yet, we are never there. The thief on the cross was a criminal, with no good works to boast. Prior to accepting the gift of salvation, no princely death can be forthcoming. Soon as he received the free gift, by believing in the lordship of Jesus Christ, the thief died “with royalty” as he entered the Kingdom in heaven. By choice, this thief left behind all his sinful ways and accepted a new life of faith. Prior to his physical death, the thief “died” from his old sinful self first, by accepting the free gift, to which he ignored throughout his life, save for the last few minutes of his mortal life.
What I have learned from the Law of the Land is that a gift is given out of liberality as provided in Article 725 of the Civil Code, which states that, “Donation is an act of liberality whereby a person disposes gratuitously of a thing or right in favor of another, who accepts it.” What I have learned from the Law of the Lord is that His gift is given by grace as the Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:89, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” For anything to be a gift, it just has to be accepted; it is never earned.
With one too many deaths these days, all of us need not wait for that death-on-the-verge circumstance before we decide to receive that free gift. The perfect time is, and ought to be, now! Today is the day of salvation for tomorrow is never promised. There is nothing guaranteed in our earthly realm, except death, as exemplified by Prince Philip, a true royal in his country, and Mr. Yamaguchi, survivor of two atomic bombs. There is one thing however assured from an eternal perspective—we can all “die” a princely death.
Death: we definitely do not choose when, but we surely can choose how.
A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.