Hope and Ultimate Despair

 

The Lord said to Cain: “What have you done?…
The Lord’s question… is addressed also
to the people of today,
to make them realize the extent and gravity
of the attacks against life
which continue to mark human history…
—POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II,
Evangelium Vitae, n. 10

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St. John Paul II’s warning of a rising “culture of death” in the West has proven to be a central prophetic word around which all others find their context. “This struggle parallels the apocalyptic combat described in [Rev 12 of the “Woman” vs. the “dragon”],” he warned. “Death battles against Life: a ‘culture of death’ seeks to impose itself on our desire to live, and live to the full.”^[1]Remarks at Sunday Mass at Cherry Creek State Park, Denver Colorado, World Youth Day, August 15, 1993, Solemnity of the Assumption; ewtn.com

A quarter century later, Africa’s Cardinal Robert Sarah rightly declared the struggle as primarily rooted in the West. Indeed, abortion, contraception, assisted suicide, and gender ideology are now considered fundamental human “rights”, even as native populations and birth rates plummet, creating a demographic disaster. 

I am convinced that western civilization is passing at present through a mortal crisis. It has reached the extreme of self-destructive hate… As a bishop, it is my duty to warn the West! The barbarians are already inside the city. The barbarians are all those who hate human nature, all those who trample upon the sense of the sacred, all those who do not value life, all those who rebel against God the Creator of man and nature… the silent tragedy of abortion and euthanasia continue and pornography and gender ideology destroy children and adolescents. We are accustomed to barbarism. It doesn’t even surprise us anymore! — Cardinal Robert Sarah, “As a bishop, it is my duty to warn the West”, Catholic Herald, April, 2019; catholiceducation.org

As I continue my reflections on hope, one cannot ignore the false hope that is spreading across the West like a cancer, namely, physician-assisted suicide.

Over a century ago, Fr. Robert Hugh Benson penned a novel about the times of the Antichrist, titled Lord of the World. Even though it was a work of fiction, Benson showed remarkable prescience in describing a new world order in which Christian hope in suffering and the afterlife was displaced by a humanitarian gospel that made the elimination of pain the ultimate end. 

Death was an ending, not a beginning. It was a peaceful Gospel; at least, it became peaceful as soon as the end had come. —Lord of the World, p. 42 (Kindle)

This, at least, was the promise until its main character, Mabel Brand, euthanized herself only to discover a new reality beyond death. “She saw, and understood….”^[2]Ibid. p. 180

I am writing this today, in part, because I feel many of you are facing, or are going to face, this enormous temptation to end your own life…

 

Euthanasia – A False Hope

Euthanasia, the medically assisted termination of one’s life, is, like abortion, becoming a cornerstone of so-called “health care” in the West. Ironically, Cardinal Gerhard Müller recently said that European unity arose from a shared vision of the human person, deeply shaped by Christianity. “It is on this foundation that the European Union stands today”, he stated. For this reason, he warned that a Europe detached from the Gospel risks “suicidally surrendering to its own downfall.”^[3]infovaticana.com, June 19, 2026

Literally.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Canada, where over 100,000 people will have taken their lives by the end of this year in the decade since assisted suicide became legal here. With one in twenty Canadians now ending their own lives in this way, the country is leading the entire world in committing individual and collective suicide. It was considered taboo just a mere generation ago. 

Now, however, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are being presented as “morally acceptable,” expressions of “free choice” and even “socially responsible solutions” to the suffering caused by terminal disease and perhaps long-term disability. These false views can place subtle and not so subtle pressure on individuals weakened by pain and suffering, coercing them to make an immoral choice.

Moreover, the consciences and careers of health-care professionals are even now being threatened with the prospect of professional dismissal or censure if they do not cooperate in euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. The Church has — and must always — speak out as a defender of the rights of conscience of individuals and institutions, as well as the rights of the vulnerable and the suffering. —Archdiocese of Vancouver, “Funeral Rites for Those Who Have Asked for Euthanasia”; holyrosarycathedral.org

But a recent Angus Reid poll showing 77% of Canadians supporting euthanasia^[4]angusreid.org suggests the Church is being largely ignored. Some Canadian politicians are even pushing to extend assisted suicide to those suffering with mental illness, including depression, of a wide span of ages. Moreover, a brief perusal of social media posts reveals a new widespread acceptance of suicide. In one post on Facebook, I lamented the celebration of a young woman who took her life. The blowback was immediate: “Who are you to judge!” insisted one user. I responded, “Who are you to judge that the life and dignity of this woman are so insignificant that she can take her own life?” There was no reply. 

Human suffering, whether it’s depression, grief, or physical pain is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest challenges, if not mysteries, that we all face. In truth, without an eternal perspective — the belief in a final judgment of our lives and the prospect of eternal life, or death — euthanasia makes logical sense; without understanding the value of suffering to purify not only ourselves, but to contribute to another’s salvation, assisted suicide would even appear merciful. After all, we “put down” animals precisely to end their suffering. 

 

Eternal Consequences

But humans are not animals — we are made in God’s image. We are as different from the animal kingdom as the Sun is from a grain of sand. We are eternal beings who have the capacity to share in the divine nature.^[5]cf. 2 Pet 1:4, Col 2:9-10 Thus, the commandment regarding human life is unequivocal:

You shall not kill. (Deuteronomy 5:17)

Therefore, suicide, says the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), “is seriously contrary to justice, hope, and charity. It is forbidden by the fifth commandment.”^[6]CCC, 2325

Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of… Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law. —CCC, 2280

As such, while the Catholic Church offers funeral rites in most cases of suicide, it is not so with physician-assisted suicide.^[7]cf. Canon 1184: “Unless they gave some signs of repentance before death, the following must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals: 1/ notorious apostates, heretics, and schismatics; 2/ those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith; 3/ other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.“ The reason is that euthanasia ‘is presented as a fully reasonable, rationally chosen and competent response to terminal illness and suffering. It has its own “eligibility requirements” including multiple assessments, a “waiting period” after the decision has been made, and ongoing confirmation of “informed consent” right up to the final moment before the fatal dosage of medication is administered. This is a completely different process meant to emphasize the dying patient’s autonomy and “free choice.” It is not an acceptance of death as part of God’s plan, because it fails to express hope and trust in the final and decisive choice of our life on earth: dying a holy death in Christ.'^[8]Archdiocese of Vancouver, “Funeral Rites for Those Who Have Asked for Euthanasia”; holyrosarycathedral.org 

In fact, someone taking their own life cannot even request the “last rites,”^[9]ie. “The Anointing of the Sick“ which include sacramental confession. You cannot be forgiven for a grave sin while fully intending to commit it. ^[10]Canon Law 1007: “The anointing of the sick is not to be conferred upon those who persevere obstinately in manifest grave sin.”; vatican.va Thus, I cannot cry loud enough to those who may be contemplating taking their own life: you are potentially taking away your eternal salvation, too!^[11]While physician-assisted suicide, as the above document explains, is a deliberate process of discernment and thus choice, other acts of suicide may diminish culpability of the one in distress: “Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide. We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.” (CCC, 2282-2283)

So, how does someone who is suffering a painful terminal illness or a debilitating permanent handicap find the will to go on?

 

The Refiner’s Fire

I will never forget my mother of 62 years as she lay on the hospital bed dying of cancer. As she took her last breaths, I was struck to my core how death was never part of God’s plan; how death seems like a triumph for the ancient serpent. To be certain, it was a defeat for mankind — until Jesus destroyed death by death, turning an unbreachable wall of despair into a doorway to eternal life. 

In the funeral eulogy for his brother Satyrus, St. Ambrose concluded:

Death was not part of nature; it became part of nature. God did not decree death from the beginning; He prescribed it as a remedy. —De excessu fratris sui Satyri, II, 47: CSEL 73, 274; cf. Spe Salvi, n. 10

That’s an extraordinary insight. “To continue living for ever — endlessly — appears more like a curse than a gift,” said Pope Benedict XVI. “Death, admittedly, one would wish to postpone for as long as possible. But to live always, without end — this, all things considered, can only be monotonous and ultimately unbearable.” Ambrose continues:

Human life, because of sin… began to experience the burden of wretchedness in unremitting labour and unbearable sorrow. There had to be a limit to its evils; death had to restore what life had forfeited. Without the assistance of grace, immortality is more of a burden than a blessing.” —Ibid.

“Death is, then, no cause for mourning,” says Ambrose, “for it is the cause of mankind’s salvation.”^[12]De excessu fratris sui Satyri, II, 46: CSEL 73, 273; cf. Spe Salvi, n. 10 In this light, the sadness of seeing oneself grow old and gray can now be understood as a preparation for an imperishable body; terminal illness becomes a runway to ascend towards Heaven; death becomes a passport to eternity rather than a ticket to nothingness. Thus, suffering becomes a remedy meant to purify and prepare us for union with God. Euthanasia, on the other hand, not only forfeits this purification, but rejects the sole Author of life itself. 

This is where my last reflection on Hope and Holy Abandonment comes into play. Accepting with docility the Divine Will as our “food”, even when it allows suffering or death, is the antithesis of despair. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, suffering is no longer a senseless tragedy toward an abyss but a staircase one climbs toward greater participation in the life of God. In this context, Purgatory is not a “second chance” but a continuation of these steps beyond the veil, until one reaches the top of the staircase: full union with the Holy Trinity. 

 

The Last Word… of Hope

The last word in all of this is: faith. The atheist may dismiss that as another tired Christian cliché, invoked to summarily dismiss what we cannot fully grasp. On the contrary, millions of Christians have gone before us who can testify that, precisely through faith in the Creator, they were given the grace to not only suffer, but suffer with joy. In a recent message to Pedro Regis, Our Lady allegedly said:

Do not be afraid when faced with the trials and battles of this time, for the Lord does not abandon His children… God is in control of everything. Although He may seem distant, He is very close to you. —June 13, 2026, June 16, 2026

Emmanuel —”God is with us” (Matt 1:23). We have to have faith in that Scripture. We have to trust in Him, since distrust was really the heart of original sin. Faith, accompanied by the free gift of grace, is what is necessary to pass through the inevitable “valley of the shadow of death” according to God’s designs… not our own. It’s faith that brings us into an encounter with Him in those moments, for…

…He is found by those who do not test Him, and manifests Himself to those who do not disbelieve Him. (Wisdom of Solomon 1:2)

It’s also faith in such straightforward commandments as, “You shall not kill.” For when we take matters into our own hands, creating our own rules, are we not falling once again into the deception of the ancient serpent who tempted Adam and Eve, promising: “You will be like gods”?^[13]Genesis 3:5

A world which has to create its own justice is a world without hope. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Spe Salvi, n. 42

Cardinal Sarah adds:

A society inspired by the Gospel protects the weak against the consequences of sin. Conversely, a society cut off from God quickly turns into a dictatorship and becomes a structure of sin, encouraging people toward evil… A state that pretends to found rights on good will alone, and does not seek to found the law on an objective order received from the Creator, risks falling into totalitarianism. —Cardinal Robert Sarah, “As a bishop, it is my duty to warn the West”, Catholic Herald, April, 2019; catholiceducation.org

The hope for the weak, even in the most intense suffering, is to turn to Jesus, the “Man of Sorrows” who, himself, trod the way of suffering and death. We have a God who understands, a God who journeys beside us. 

Because He himself was tested through what He suffered, He is able to help those who are being tested. (Hebrews 2:18)

It is ultimately a lack of faith in Christ that has led the Western world to literally commit suicide. 

I speak about a poison from which are all suffering: a virulent atheism. It permeates everything, even our ecclesiastical discourse. It consists in allowing radically pagan and worldly modes of thinking or living to coexist side by side with faith… We must no longer compromise with lies. —Cardinal Robert Sarah, Ibid.

And that includes the lie that it is mercy to kill the suffering, moral to take your own life.

It is up to us as Christians to bring authentic hope into this descending darkness by witnessing to others how to suffer. In this way, we personally give hope a face, a face others can gaze into and say, “Then, I too, can bear my cross, with God’s help.”

 

 

So grateful for your prayers and support.
Thank you!

 

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