Put your house in order for you shall die; you shall not live.
-Isaiah 38:1
As one approaches the third anniversary of dad's passing I was struck by the parallels with Hezekiah. Dad saw it coming alright. In the final months he, to my mind, grew increasingly morose. No doubt the pain inside of him must have been consuming him and giving him immense discomfort. But at the mental level he knew his time was up. He did not discuss these matters with us as if to save us the burden of his cross. Even when he sat in the balcony sipping his last draught of caju feni he did not say anything, but preferred to gaze at the abundance of nature around him.
What does it mean to know you are going to die?
Hezekiah is mortally ill. Prophet Isaiah goes up to him and conveys the message from the Lord that it is curtains for him. Hezekiah is vastly forlon. He petitions the Lord to remember how he has done 'what is good in your sight.' He weeps bitterly. God then calls Isaiah and asks him to convey to Hezekiah that he has heard his prayer and seen his tears. For that, the Lord will add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life. Not only that, the Lord pledges to save Hezekiah from the power of the king of Assyria. Isaiah then cures Hezekiah's ulcer with a fig cake.
Not satisfied with the favour of the Lord, Hezekiah pushes his luck further. He corners Isaiah saying, 'What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?' Then Isaiah causes the shadow descending on the stairway to go back ten steps. The sunlight withdraws ten steps. This is the sign for Hezekiah.
Dad was not as fortunate as Hezekiah. When he had to go he had to go. Surely he must have been in the position of Hezekiah. Was he ready to leave everything and go? Stepping into this world in 1929, this year he would have been 91. God took him in his loving arms to save him more suffering. He knows best.
The canticle of Hezekiah, his song of Thanksgiving (Isaiah 38: 9-20) after he is cured, is replete with poetic beauty. It was the Prayer of the Faithful for yesterday's Mass liturgy. It seemed so apt for the times. Reading it gives one hope and renews one's faith.
In these times of uncertainty, where Lockdown is being reimposed (from yesterday till tomorrow) we revisit Isaiah 38 to know that Hezekiah's behaviour is worth considering. Firstly, he prays to the Lord and reminds him that he has 'done what is good in your sight.' Secondly he hopes the Lord will spare him for now (which he does) and thirdly he asks for a guarantee/sign that when he dies he will return to the Lord. Hezekiah's faith, hope and his almost brash confidence see him through the valley of death.
Dad was a man of prayer. He would never miss the Sunday Mass even if he had to trek down all the steps from the second floor and trek up back again after Mass. How he struggled in the last years, panting and pausing at every landing to catch his failing breath. He always made sure we said the rosary. For the last ladinha /devotion to Mother Mary when we brought the statue home he insisted all be present on time. Dad knew.
In some way, I hope he came to terms with death. As we struggle to come to terms with his passing.
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Pic courtesy chogsoonkim(at)blogspot.com; references Wikipedia, Bible Diary 2020. Hezekiah is believed to have reigned between 715-686 BCE. Updated 19th July 2020.
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