— Father, how is it that in times past our ancestors lived and died in peace, whereas today—as you know—we end our lives in great turmoil, passing from sorrow to calamity, and from hardship to suffering?
— I shall explain this to you as best I can.
You see, people in the past held great love for one
another. Their relationships were founded upon integrity and justice.
Moreover, their love for God was so profound that they
strove, in every way, to fulfill His will. Consequently, they found in Him a
Helper and Savior in all the circumstances of their lives, right up until the
moment of death.
We, by contrast, have made a god of our own bellies,
indulging every one of their whims—even though this insatiable appetite offers
us no benefit or salvation, but only sorrow.
— Father, since I can see that your most wise mind has
been illumined by God, I beg you to resolve one more question for me:
When the soul separates from the body, does it depart
with pain and violence, or with serenity and ease?
— Well, I cannot speak from personal experience—for,
you see, I have not yet died! the Venerable one said with a smile. I can,
however, explain it to you in theory. Take note: There are virtuous people who
experience a bitter death, and there are sinners who experience a sweet death.
However, the bitter death of the virtuous person washes
away the sins they committed during their life—for no one is without sin, save
for God alone.
Conversely, the sweet death of the sinner offsets the
few good deeds they may have happened to perform. Thus, the virtuous person
departs from this life completely cleansed, while the sinner departs completely
unclean.
And I assure you, my brother, that the temporarily
bitter death of the righteous person secures for them eternal joy and
exultation.
Whereas the temporarily sweet death of the sinner
consigns them to the unquenchable fire and eternal hell.
— Well, are there not sinners who both die a bitter
death and end up in hell?
— Indeed, there are many sinners who experience a
bitter death before being sent to hell.
Just as there are righteous people who experience a
sweet death and are subsequently led into eternal blessedness.
What can one say? The judgments of God are manifold.
He grants each person a death that corresponds to the
life they have led. In truth, death itself is not as terrifying, my child, as the
judgment that takes place at that very moment.
For as soon as the soul departs from the body, Angels
arrive to receive it. Yet, at the same time, throngs of demons also gather. The
Angels present the soul’s good deeds, while the demons present its evil ones.
Then, all stand waiting for the verdict—of salvation or condemnation—to arrive
from Heaven.
But until this awesome verdict arrives, what agony the
soul endures! One moment, it fears it will be cast into hell, and it melts with
terror; the next, it hopes for salvation, and leaps with joy and gladness.
Then, doubt returns; it raises its hands toward
heaven, pleading not to be surrendered to those who gnash their teeth against
it. The Angels, too, experience great anxiety at this time—as do the demons—for
the Angels hope for a verdict of salvation.
Thus, wherever the righteous Judge commands, the soul
is delivered: either to the Angels of God—to find deliverance—or to the demons
of darkness—to face perdition. This, my child, is the true source of fear and
dread—namely, that the soul might be condemned to perdition, that it might fall
into the hands of unclean demons… Otherwise, death is a natural occurrence that
awaits us all…
Saint Niphon – from the book "An Ascetic
Bishop."
