Our Four Deaths
(Acts 10:34, 37-43; Col.3:1-4; Jn.20:1-9)
Christ is risen! Alleluia! Happy Easter!
Every year the Church’s greatest celebration is Jesus’ resurrection. But how do we know that Jesus really rose from the dead? There are many reasons, but here are three:
Firstly, it’s significant that all four Gospels say that women were the first to witness the empty tomb. In ancient times women weren’t allowed to witness anything. It was illegal. Had the resurrection been faked, women would never have been mentioned.
Secondly, it’s significant that there had been no forced entry into the tomb, and that Jesus’ linen wrappings were left lying on the floor. If Jesus’ body had been stolen, his wrappings would have gone, too.
Thirdly, and most importantly, what really points to Jesus’ resurrection is the change in the disciples’ behaviour. Previously, they had been grieving and frightened. That’s why they locked themselves inside the Upper Room.
But once they see Jesus return, their lives are utterly transformed. Nothing – not the threat of gaol, torture or even death – could stop them from spreading the good news.
This is how we can be sure that the Resurrection really happened. But what does it mean for us today?

Jesus’ resurrection is significant, because it’s the foundation of our Christian faith. It proves that Jesus is God and that everything he’s been saying is true. As St Paul says, ‘If Christ had not been raised, then our preaching has been in vain, and your faith is in vain’ (1Cor.15:14).
But we know that our faith is not in vain. Easter tells us that there is always hope, even in our worst moments, because if Jesus can survive the most terrible suffering, then we can too. He teaches us that any trials we might have are temporary and that God always works for the good of those who love him (Rom.8:18; 2Cor.4:17).
Indeed, Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. As Jesus says to Martha at Lazarus’ tomb: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live even though he dies’ (Jn.11:25-26).
Now this is really important. If you think about it, we all die many deaths during our lifetimes. We all suffer losses of some kind, as well as transformations and transitions where something in us dies. However, we too can have our own ‘mini-Easter’ where new life always follows.
The theologian Michael Pakaluk tells us that Christians typically die four deaths. [i]
The first is baptism. Baptism is a form of death because it represents the death of sin, the end of our former self, and our new birth into the life of Christ.
In a very personal way, our Baptism mirrors Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
Our second death occurs when we embrace our chosen vocation, either the married life or a single life devoted to God. In 1981, Pope St. John Paul II wrote that marriage ‘takes up again and makes specific the sanctifying grace of baptism.’ What he meant is that on our wedding day we must die to ourselves as single individuals, and be reborn as an interdependent couple. [ii]

Our third death occurs when we have children. Every parent knows how devastating the birth of a first child can be to their way of life. For the sake of our children, we die to ourselves; we make great sacrifices for them. And while this means the end of one kind of life, it also means the beginning of a new life as a parent, with all the joys and heartaches that brings.
And finally, the fourth death occurs at the end of our mortal lives. For the faithful Christian, this is where we really can be confident of our own resurrection.
I recently chatted with a friend about this, and he said, ‘What? Only four deaths? What about all our other endings and beginnings?’
He was right; we do experience many other deaths. We leave our childhood behind; we lose friends; we change careers; our dreams die, and so do the people we love.
But that is never the end of the story. Thanks to Jesus Christ, we can all have many mini-Easters where we get to live again.
So, here’s the good news: Jesus Christ has conquered death, and now death is simply part of the rhythm of life, as new always follows the old in our journey towards eternal life.
Thanks to Jesus, darkness and death are now replaced by light and life.
[i] Michael Pakaluk, ‘The Four Deaths’, The Catholic Thing, March 30, 2022. https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2022/03/30/the-four-deaths/
[ii] St John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, n.56. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio.pdf