“Dying to” & “Dying from”

This is not a discussion on the semantics of the English language. I am still in the subject of Spirituality of Transition, the topic in last week’s column on paschal mysteries.

The words in this column’s title are frequently used by two sectors of society as I have noticed for many years now.

“Dying to” is often used by Church writers on spirituality. By these they mean a form of somehow difficult way of witnessing to a value or virtue that is opposed to sin. The word “dying” symbolizes this difficulty. In other words, I am struggling to be humble in my thoughts, words and actions, and in so doing I am killing the life of sinful attachments that is my lifestyle.

The secular world of social media understand by “dying from” to mean being a victim of a sinful or criminal way of living. The result could be physical loss of life like being a victim of murder. Or, being forced to lose one’s spiritual life by engaging in immoral or criminal acts. This is the real meaning of being scandalized. Which has disappeared in the moral mindsets of many.

But the expression is also used by Christian writers alluding to St. Paul’s teaching that Jesus “who had no sin was made sin and died because of sin” (2 Cor. 5:21) for our sake. This might sound surprising to those who do not know this Pauline teaching. Or people forget that Jesus was accused as a blasphemer, violator of Mosaic laws, and in the company of tax collectors, sinners and prostitutes.

But a popular and common understanding of “dying” is a symbol of another higher Christian symbol which is the Cross. It is also included in the concept of fasting and abstinence.