Photo: CNS Acclaimed actress Nicole Kidman recently revealed her struggle with the fear of mortality, sharing that it sometimes leads her to wake up crying and gasping in the middle of the night.
Bro. Laurence Kettle OFM, talking to The Irish Catholic, acknowledges that fear and anxiety over death are natural, saying, “It’s OK to be afraid or a little anxious. While not ideal, these emotions keep us alert and focused, protecting us from indifference, which can be more dangerous.” He encourages perseverance, even in times of struggle, “We should keep trying.”
Bro. Kettle continued, “When encouraging someone who is suffering, I sometimes point to the Man on the Cross. That Man supports our suffering… The cross is seen as disturbing, but the divine irony is that it offers hope in suffering… It is a sign of strength”.
Fr Chris Hayden, on this issue, adds to Bro. Kettle’s comments that “The Church provides a faith that assures us death has been overcome by Christ… Faith gradually helps us see our anxieties in a different light.