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On any given Sunday, our congregations are filled with troubled hearts—hearts burdened by the reality that the gift of mortal life does not last forever. So, we begin where Jesus begins. We begin with the troubled heart that He Himself assumed and redeemed, even in His grief at the death of Lazarus (John 11:33). And we ask the question that anticipates His answer: What would free the human heart from being troubled? The world offers a multitude of answers. Jesus offers only one:
“Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1)

As I write this, I am just two months away from completing my full-time ministry in The United Methodist Church—39.5 years of service as recorded by Wespath. It has come far more quickly than I ever imagined. That opening reflection comes from one of my commentaries on John 14:1–14. I invite you to read it again—perhaps for the first time with fresh eyes. Especially that central question: What frees the human heart from trouble? Where do we begin?

Some might say we begin with financial security—having enough, even more than enough, to last a lifetime. Others might point to manageable debt, or a life no longer lived “hand-to-mouth.” Still others may look to health—though even then, we feel the slow pull of gravity and time. We are not as young as we once were. And yet, listen again to that first sentence: “Our congregations are full of hearts troubled by the fact that the gift of mortal life does not last.”

About 24 years ago, I stood, as many family members, at the bedside of my sister, Virginia, as she passed away on a Friday afternoon, April 2. Years earlier, I had stood beside my father as he passed as well. But it was my sister’s death that awakened me from a quiet denial—that one day, I too would die. I remember saying to myself, “Alegria, you’re going to die one day.” It was a sobering moment. A reality check. She was my contemporary—the first of six siblings to pass. And if we are honest, we do not want our loved ones to die. We do everything we can to extend life. But the question remains: Will it be the quantity of life—or the quality of life—that truly matters?

Death, as they say, is batting 1.000. You have heard me say before: “Do not be afraid of dying. Be afraid of not fully living. Jesus puts it this way in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it greater than you can imagine.”  God has given each of us the gift of mortal life. What we do with that gift is entrusted to us. We have one life—one opportunity—to live it fully, faithfully, and meaningfully.,So, what will be your measure? Your standard? Your metric? Jesus has already given us the answer: “Believe in God, believe also in me.”

Friends, do not read this epistle with sadness. Read it with hope. ecause in Christ, we are given more than awareness of life’s brevity—we are given the promise of life’s fullness. Faith, hope, and love are not abstract ideas; they are gifts from the One who holds both our days and our eternity. And that changes everything.

Grace and God’s peace to you. Shalom–Paz–Peace, Pastor Frank (alegria@lakewayumc.org)