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Our culture avoids talking about the reality of death. Dealing with death and those who are dying makes us uncomfortable. As believers in the Gospel, though, we hold to a different version of reality — we place our hope in more than this life.
When a death occurs, we often turn first with heavy hearts to scripture to deal with our loss where God’s Word can help us to find comfort and peace in the midst of grief, and hope in the promise of eternity.
As an avid reader, I can’t help but also call to mind other quotations beyond scripture when dealing with death and eternity — children’s literature particularly comes to mind, as I am the mother of five little ones.
C.S. Lewis is unquestionably one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Having faced his mother’s death when he was just 9 years old, those moments shaped both his life and his writing.
For Lewis, death was a part of life and in his book series The Chronicles of Narnia, the characters themselves repeatedly deal with all aspects of life and death. The eloquence of language Lewis uses pulls readers into his stories longing for what is good, true, and beautiful. Many readers find themselves often rereading these stories, finding quotes from Narnia for many of life’s circumstances.
Here are 6 of the most beautiful quotes from The Chronicles of Narnia that help us deal with death and loss:
I have come home at last! This is my country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now.” (The Last Battle)
Remember that all worlds draw to an end and that noble death is a treasure which no one is too poor to buy.” (The Last Battle)
This,” said Repicheep, “is where I go on alone.” Then he bade them goodbye, trying to be sad for their sakes; but he was quivering with happiness. (The Voyage of the Dawntreader)
But please, please — won’t you — can’t you give me something that will cure Mother?” Up till then he had been looking at the Lion’s great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion’s eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory’s own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself. “My son, my son,” said Aslan. “I know. Grief is great. Only you and I in this land know that yet. Let us be good to one another.” (The Magician’s Nephew)
There was a railway accident,” said Aslan softly. “Your father and mother and all of you are — as you used to call it in the Shadowlands — dead. The term is over: holidays have begun. The dream is ended; this morning.” (The Last Battle)
But for them, it was only the beginning of the real story.” (The Last Battle)
And here is a bonus C.S. Lewis quote…
On June 17, 1963, C.S. Lewis wrote a letter to Mary Willis Shelburne. Unfortunately, he would pass away just five months later.
It is ironic because Lewis penned a beautiful letter to Mary helping her face death, which was imminent. Shelburne actually went on to live another 12 years after recovering from her illness. Early on in the letter, Lewis is challenging Shelburne to not be fearful of her death, writing, “Can you not see death as a friend and deliverer?” and later closes with “Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave it with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
And today we celebrate...