As God’s creatures, we are bound to obey His commands. Since time immemorial, many people have ignored or denied God’s very existence so they could live however they wanted.

One of many such people had spent his life following his very sinful desires, and in the end, as is inevitable, he was lying on a deathbed. Someone who knew this unfortunate man sent for a priest to administer the Last Rites.

But after a lifetime of shutting God out, the dying man was not about to make his peace with God. In a mocking tone, he asked the priest:

"Is there really any afterlife?"

The priest knew that this obstinate sinner wasn’t really looking for the truth - rather he was running from it. Besides there wasn’t time for long debates. The man was clearly dying. So instead of arguing, the priest simply took out his watch, turned it to the man, and said:

"By the time the hour hand gets down here [6:00], you will know whether there is an afterlife."

Then he stood as if to leave. But those few words had struck the fear of God deep into the soul of the dying man. He called the priest back and begged him to hear his confession. By God’s grace, not only did he confess his sins, but he did so with a heart full of deep and sincere contrition.

Before that night fell, the man was dead. By God’s generous mercy, his soul was saved. To this day and forevermore, he knows firsthand about the afterlife.