When I was in seminary there was a picture hanging in our library that I will never forget. I have long since forgotten who the artist might have been, but the message was indelible. It was titled "The March of Death" and pictured death marching through the throngs of humanity calling, at will, whom he chose. He called the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the well and the infirmed. There was something else in that picture I remember and that is that there were those kneeling by the roadside, pleading to join his march, who were passed by. It seems to me that the message is clear that although death is indiscriminate, death finally does come to us all.

However, it makes a difference under what circumstances death calls us as to how we react. If death comes to a very young child, we …