A skull is often incorporated in Renaissance portraits of St. Jerome. This seemingly morbid symbol was typical of art in that period which came to be known as Vanitas. The inclusion of a skull is not unique to portrayals of this hermit-doctor of the church and great translator of the Bible into Latin, and can be seen in portraits of philosophers, theologians and other learned people. Artists would paint the symbol—also hourglasses,
clocks and wilting flowers—to symbolise the transience of earthly life and provoke in the viewer reflections about the meaning of life.
“You could leave life right now,” Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor-philosopher, writes in his Meditations, “Let that determine what you do and say and think.” This sentiment was a daily reminder that he was called to live a virtuous life and not squander his temporal existence on meaningless pursuits and fleeting pleasures.
In the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, we are similarly reminded of the impermanence of this life and encouraged to look to life after death which will be eternal. “Lord, let me know my end, / and what is the measure of my days; /” cries the psalmist. “Let me know how fleeting my life is” (Psalm 39:4). The apostle James, in a similar vein, echoes: “Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that
appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14)
November, in the Christian liturgical calendar, is a month for remembering the dead. We pray for the perpetual peace of those who have died. As the psalm response reminded us yesterday, that their longing to see God’s face may be fulfilled. We also pray with the psalmist for ourselves that, through the intercession of those who have gone before us, we might receive God’s blessings on our pilgrimage through life, however transient it may be,
and live as the beloved of God.
For your reflection today:
Imagine an artist’s portrait of yourself. You are seated at a desk with a piece of paper in front of you and a pen in hand, and to one corner of the desk, a skull rests. How would your life be different if you lived with the constant reminder of its brevity? Spend some time in prayer, asking God for the grace to keep living a meaningful life or to help you steer a more purposeful course. Write down some of your ideas.
