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There were these great commercials in the 90’s; some of you weren’t born then but you can find them on Youtube. These ads highlighted the Tombstone frozen pizza brand and they presented different scenarios of someone about to meet their maker. Before they did, the bad guy asked them what they wanted on their tombstone and they answered, “pepperoni and cheese”. There is something sacred and special about last words, at least in the movies, where someone leaves a lasting impression or a killer one-liner, right before they depart this life, a sort of immortal mic-drop. While this is mostly Hollywood stuff, there have been some amazing last words throughout history. St. Lawrence roasted his persecutors as he was being cooked to death over a massive fire. “Turn me over, I’m done on this side” he said. Bob Hope, the great comedian, was asked by his wife in his final hours where he wanted to be buried. “Surprise me”, he replied. And W.C. Fields, a well-known actor and comedian who was also a bit of a party animal and a generally difficult person, was seen reading the bible not long before he died. When asked why he had the holy book in his hands, he quipped, “I’m looking for loopholes.”
If we were about to die, whom would we write or call, and what would we say? Most of us would contact our loved ones, use words that expressed our affection, along with guidance and encouragement for the rest of their earthly lives. The apostle Paul was in a similar situation when he wrote his letter to the Philippians. Paul was under house arrest in Rome, in chains and under armed guard. He was soon to go on trial for his faith and the death penalty was a real possibility. So, Paul chose to write to his loved ones, the Christians in Philippi, a church that Paul had founded.
So what were Paul’s last words to the Philippians? What was the enduring thing he wished to leave them? St. Paul tells them (and us), “Have no anxiety at all.” We might smile at those words. When someone says not to worry, it can sound naive, unrealistic, or even dismissive. But, that is hardly the case with Paul. He faced trials few of us could conceive. A partial list includes an escape involving being lowered over the side of building in a basket, public whippings, shipwrecks, snake bites, imprisonment and bodily ailments. Yet in this letter, written toward the end of his life, he says, “Have no anxiety at all.”
In his admonition to stop worrying, St. Paul was echoing Jesus. At the Last Supper, knowing full well that the next morning would bring public humiliation and unspeakable tortures, Jesus told his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” We might ask how it is possible to obey such a command. All of us would like to be free from worries, but it seems impossible. We have financial problems, family difficulties, work deadlines, health concerns – not to mention worries about what is happening in our world: natural disasters, societal breakdown, wars, economic turmoil and intense division. When Paul says to have no anxieties, when Jesus tells us not to be troubled, it does not mean to ignore reality. What it means is that we take a different approach to our troubles.
Before we get to that, I want you to know that I am not speaking from some high and mighty place. I am a worrier. I worry about money. I worry about what people think about me. I worry about not doing my job well enough. I hear other people problems and I worry about them too! It bothers me that I can do so little to help. Slowly, over time though, I am beginning to see the wisdom of St. Paul’s words. More often than not, my anxiety does no good for me or others.
When I look at my worries, I see that the majority concern only two things and I have no control over either of them. Those two things are centered around an unchangeable past or an unknowable future. I often obsess about past faults and blunders, yet I can do nothing to change them; what’s done is done. The best I can do is to learn from them, repent of those things which were sinful and make restitution if possible. The same is true about tomorrow – the things which I worry about often do not come to pass or, when they do happen, they turn out completely different than what I feared. The only day I can control is today. This doesn’t mean we fail to make prudent plans. Careful preparation is part of today's duty. But once we make those plans, we put them in Jesus’ hands.
After telling his readers not to be anxious, Paul offers a better way. First, we are to be prayerful. God wants to help us handle our problems and concerns, if we let him. If we commit our worries to God in prayer he will give us inner peace, contentment and assurance. So let’s make sure we set aside time to pray every day. Find a few quiet minutes to offer God our anxieties and fears, to lift before him the troubles of others, and to thank him for all he has given us and promised us. No special words are required. We can say what we really feel. If we do this, God will calm our hearts and clear our minds. We will experience gratitude as we remember that he was faithful in the past and he will continue to be faithful in the present and future!
Secondly, Paul encourages us to turn our minds to whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent, and worthy of praise. That is a pretty comprehensive list which covers everything good in the areas of belief, behavior and beauty:
- In the area of belief, it means learning and reflecting on everything true about God, about ourselves and about the world he has made. Are we listening to the voice of Paul and others in the Bible and our Catholic Tradition who teach us about the character of God, the nature of humanity and the work of Christ? Or do we get our version of reality from news, cynical politicians or corporations who stand to profit from our anxiety?
- In the area of behavior, do we seek to contemplate and imitate those individuals in Scripture and in society who exhibit godliness, kindness, generosity and all the other fruits of the Spirit? Above all, do we look to Christ as our role model and example for living?
- And in the area of beauty, do we appreciate and delight in all that God has made, giving thanks to him for all that is attractive and glorious in Creation?
In all of this, we realize our thoughts really matter! If our thinking goes astray or is consumed with anxiety, our beliefs and our behavior soon follow. So let’s make sure we guard our hearts and minds, and take responsibility for what we and our families give our attention to.
To bring this full circle, none of us knows what our last words will be. We don’t know whether they will be witty, wise or memorable. But we do know Paul’s last words to the Philippians. Last words that should be of first importance for us. Last words written in the face of death that can guide us in life: Have no anxiety, be prayerful, and turn our minds to all that is good.
