he sorrow felt in the presence of death, brings forth this image of salvation, the core of the Catholic faith through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through the sobering image of crucifixion for a crime not committed, the death of this Savior who came to us in his human divinity provides the Catholic Christian with the belief that he will attain salvation through Christs death. As mentioned previously, Christ's Pre-Easter existence and spiritual resurrection provides the Catholic Christian with a positive sense of self that comes forth through our religious Faith. Faith cannot simply be encompassed by generalizations, by the ritualistic worship every Sunday, or by performing every obligation preached by the Ever -Powerful church. On the other hand, faith is the relationship between God and man, reaching a higher level of intellect by understanding ourselves as mortals and God as our creator. Thus the Christian faith becomes an avenue in which individuals have found comfort and guidance through the revelation of Gods Word through Christ. Furthermore, Death attains a closer relationship with God and his/her fellow man, a social means of reaching a commonality with one another. Karl Rhaner understands the human person as a self-conscious and free being, as one endowed with the capability to co-create ones self freely with God the way one will be for all eternity.(32) Thus, eternity is born through freedom and in this freedom we as a people of the church excise our humanity to the fullest. This humanity is what grants Catholic Christians with the ability to understand and cope more readily with death, illustrating a hopeful attitude that culminates through Jesus Saving grace. As a Catholic, this attitude toward ones human vulnerability has proven true in my life; (having been in the presence of death due to the loss of a loved one) my faith has provided comfort and hope. For, despite the loss of the physical being, I ...
