The End of The Road?

Yesterday, on my way home from placement, I came across the scene of a serious traffic accident.

I knew that something was wrong because the cars in front of me suddenly slowed down on a normally fast stretch of road.  I soon found myself driving past a scene that is still burned into my mind.  A smashed up red motorbike, several pieces of it strewn across the road; a car with a big dent in the bonnet and a motorcyclist lying in the road with several people gathered around him.  I didn’t stop to help as there seemed to be enough people helping, but I prayed for all involved as I continued on my journey.  I found out today, from the local paper, that the motorcyclist though seriously injured was airlifted to hospital and is likely to survive his horrific ordeal.

One thing I will never forget about that motorcyclist for the rest of my life is the look in his eyes as I drove past.  He was facing towards to opposite side of the road and as I drove past I saw his eyes.  They were filled with pain and fear and I knew that the man was afraid that he was going to die, truly terrified that his life was about to end on that debris covered piece of tarmac.

This lunchtime, in my capacity as a student presbyter, I assisted at the funeral service of a 94 year old lady who’d been a faithful church member all her life; a lady with a strong faith in Jesus Christ and in the promise of eternal life to all who believe in him.  She had known that her end was near and anxious that her Lord would hurry up and take her home so that she could be with him for all eternity.

What a difference, fear and terror on the one hand and calm acceptance and even impatience on the other.  I know that the circumstances are vastly, vastly different but I hope that when my time comes I too will be eager to go to be with my Lord, not filled with fear but with wonder at all that is to come.