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Montreal UBF
February 6, 2-14

SHADOWS AND LIGHT AT THE END OF LIFE

John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Praise God for blessing our January Tyrannus Bible Academy with a life giving lecture and about 50 attendants. This year in our Bible Academies we will be shining the light of truth on the spiritual darkness caused by secularism in our society. The Quebec government is planning to implement a plan of enforced secularism. At the same time issues like the legalization of drugs, sex trade and other issues are coming to the forefront of our society. Young people are told to live for the moment and an attitude of “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die” (1 Co 15:32) has been instilled in a people without the knowledge of God. On January 31, 2014

Montreal UBF invited guest speaker Dr. Patrick Vinay who is the spokesperson for Quebec Medical Doctors Against Euthanasia and a dedicated Christian. He had not given a presentation in the English language for a long time but graciously agreed for our community of faith. In 1 month Quebec will pass a new law that will allow its’ citizens a new civil right. Any person with a progressive illness can ask for medical doctors to help them commit suicide. This shows how hopeless many people in Quebec feel approaching aging, suffering and death. The Quebec media mainly reports the pro-euthanasia side of the issue. On the other hand Dr. Vinay has led a courageous mission to give pro-life talks and presentations to hundreds of people groups, including doctors, health care workers and churches over the past 2 decades. In addition to his medical practice in palliative care he has given 200 presentations in the last year alone and is now 70 years old. Truly this man has God’s mission and given his life to testifying to the absolute value of human life, even at the end of life, much in the way that William Wilberforce used his life to campaign against the devaluing of human life through slavery in late 18th century England. Dr. Vinay first explained that with decent medical intervention it should be possible that no person suffers at the end of life even with incurable diseases. People who want to end their life see life from only a narrow point of view.

Dr. Vinay presented a series of end of life and vignettes that attested to the power and value of God-given life when facing death. When a person has a terminal disease diagnosis such as cancer, it can be a time when that person thinks deeply about the meaning of their life. In many cases, people are able to see through the superficialities of life and make the best use of their remaining life with acts of love and faith such as restoring long-broken relationships and giving thankfulness and appreciation to God and loved ones even in the face of death. We pray for Dr. Vinay as he continues to work hard to take care of dying people in his medical practice and his mission to advocate for the absolute value of human life at life’s end. This encouraged our co-workers on the front line of campus mission as we teach preach, and teach the new life Jesus died to give.

Andrew Christopher