Grace of the Spadeful
Early this morning, I was reading about a monastic tradition that, at first glance, seems rather macabre. In certain communities, a monk would go out each day and dig just a few spadefuls of earth, eventually forming the grave in which he would be buried. It sounds severe. Even a little dark.
But this act wasn’t an anxious fixation on the end. It was an exercise in mortal clarity.
Saint Benedict urged his monks to keep death daily before their eyes. Not as a morbid command, but as a call to freedom. When we truly grasp in our bones that our time here is a gift with a limit, the anxieties that weigh us down begin to lose their hold. We begin to see more clearly what matters and what doesn’t.
For the Christian, the grave is not a pit of despair but a threshold. Saint Paul speaks with striking confidence: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). In Christ, death has been emptied of its finality. He has turned the end into a beginning.
Even without a shovel in our hands, we are invited to dig. We are called to strip away the illusion of permanence and to surrender all things to Christ. This does not diminish the beauty of life. It transfigures it. Every breath becomes a grace. Every moment, an invitation to surrender.
© 2026 Lawain McNeil. All rights reserved
Mac,
Love today's call.
This reminds me of another example of "Memento Mori" (“you could leave life right now.”)
Stoics believe they don’t control the world around them, only how they respond--and that they must always respond with courage, temperance, wisdom, and justice.
It serves as a reminder of our shared destiny: we are all mortal men, fated to die, and should be concerned with the betterment of ourselves and the improvement of our character while we yet live.
Memento mori (Latin: "remember that you have to die") is the medieval Latin Christian theory and practice of reflection on mortality, especially as a means of considering the vanity of earthly life and the transient nature of all earthly goods and pursuits.
Memento mori has been an important part of ascetic disciplines as a means of perfecting the character by cultivating detachment and other virtues, and by turning the attention towards the immortality of the soul and the afterlife.
In Meditations , Marcus Aurelius wrote, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” That was a personal reminder to continue living a life of virtue NOW, and not wait.
The French painter Philippe de Champaigne expressed a similar sentiment in his painting "Still Life with a Skull," which showed the three essentials of existence - the tulip (life), the skull (death), and the hourglass (time). The original painting is part of a genre referred to as Vanitas, a form of 17th century artwork featuring symbols of mortality which encourage reflection on the meaning and fleetingness of life.
It reminds us not obsess over trivialities, or trying to become famous, make more money than we could ever spend, or make plans far off in the future. All these are negated by death. It’s time we stop pretending otherwise.
I agree.
Philippe de Champaigne expressed a similar sentiment in his painting "Still Life with a Skull," which showed the three essentials of existence - the tulip (life), the skull (death), and the hourglass (time).
Copilot said:
Copilot
Philippe de Champaigne’s “Still Life with a Skull” is a classic example of a vanitas painting, a genre popular in the 17th century that reflects on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. Let’s break down the symbolism in more detail:
1. The Tulip (Life)
The tulip represents beauty, vitality, and the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures.
Tulips were highly prized during the Dutch Golden Age, often associated with wealth and luxury.
Its inclusion reminds viewers that life, like a flower, is vibrant but short-lived.
2. The Skull (Death)
The skull is a stark memento mori (“remember you must die”), a reminder of mortality.
It contrasts sharply with the tulip, emphasizing that death is inevitable regardless of beauty, status, or wealth.
3. The Hourglass (Time)
The hourglass symbolizes the passage of time and the limited span of human existence.
Sand slipping through the glass suggests that life is constantly moving toward its end.
Overall Message
The painting conveys a philosophical reflection:
Life is temporary (tulip),
Death is certain (skull),
Time is relentless (hourglass).
This triad urges viewers to contemplate the futility of material pursuits and the importance of spiritual or moral considerations.