Memento mori, Latin for “remember death,” refers to the inevitability of death. We all must die. The notion of memento mori was often communicated through the artistic or symbolic use of skulls or Celtic crosses. The idea is that we must always remember our mortality. Our days on earth are but a brief moment. This idea, while sounding morbid, is biblical. The Psalmist understood this, writing,
So teach us to number our days, that we may present to you a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
James also writes,
Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. (James 4:14)
We only have so much time on this earth. Therefore, let us number our days and make the most of our time by pursuing those things that truly matter.
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For further study, consider viewing Ken’s Voyage of Life series.
These are the last recorded statements of Jesus Christ before His death on the cross. Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and
Mortality and the purpose of life are prominent themes in Thomas Cole’s paintings. Through his paintings, he vividly brings out the human dilemma of mortality, a dilemma we ourselves must wrestle with. Given the inevitability of death, what are we to do with our days? We can try to stave
In the article below, Dr. Boa synthesizes material from several teaching sessions from his series Biblical Principles for Marriage and from portions of his spiritual formation text Conformed to His Image (primarily from chapter 18, “Holistic Spirituality”). Dr. Boa focuses on agape love as one of the five forms of loves (based on the different Greek words). After reviewing all forms, he gives reasons for why agape is the greatest.
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