Throughout my journey, Lord, I experience the mysterious paradox of death and life. To live, I must die. It begins at natural birth and ends in eternal birth. To live outside the womb, I had to die to that intimate connection with my mother for a different life and intimate relationship. To grow into the fullness of my humanity my cells go through a continual life-death-life process, imperceptible to me. To embrace my true self, I must die to selfishness and become other-focused. I must die to what leads me into sin, so that my life of holiness and oneness with God can deepen. Only when I physically die and hopefully enter into eternal life with you, will I no longer die. I will be fully and perpetually alive in and with you. That is when the words of St. Paul will be realized in me: "Death, where is your sting?" O Glorious Day!