A
Abba
Guest
In my reading lately, I have been coming upon statements from saints about the benefits of keeping our own death in the forefront of our minds. I will dig some up from Saint John Vianney the priest of Ars. Every day I am conscious that someday I will die and that death may come unexpectedly - it’s a way of life. I may sin less if I were more conscious, but I am conscious enough of it to stay on my toes.
I thought we could share some quotes and thoughts on the topic of death and the benefits we obtain by being aware of it for ourselves and others. The Cures of Ars tells us in a sermon that some young beautiful aristocrat passed away and her body needed to be taken to Granada. A person holding some title in the Church was put in charge of the job. He needed to see the cadaver before departing from Madrid (?) and once again confirm it was the same cadaver when it arrived in Granada. The person said that it was the same cadaver but it had certainly deteriorated a lot. The person after that experience of having known this powerful and most beautiful young woman develop to such a state totally devoted himself to serving God. I will get the exact details of the story, but, there is obviously a great benefit of being conscious and aware that we are not going to live forever. Many people live as if they were going to live for ever and as if the things of this world are all that matter.
Another story Saint John Vianney shares in one of his sermons is that of a man who experienced strong passions for a young lady but apparently was called to a religious life. He became a desert monk (?) and one day learned the woman was passing away. He went to see her and the smell that came out of her cadaver was very strong and unbearable. He took a handkerchief and placed it inside her mouth to absorb well the smell. Then, back at the desert when he thought of her who he still had feelings for, he would smell the stinky handkerchief and tell himself that he had been a fool to consider or allow himself to be tempted and betray his calling for a creature that finally ended up with the smell that was on his handkerchief.
Where I live one would think no one ever dies. Death simply does not happen around here. It seems as though people live forever. It’s like a social thing, death is not talked about and when it happens the cadaver is quickly taken care of and that’s it. It is not common to learn of someone’s passing unless you happen to ask about the person. It’s not like people open up the topic and volunteer ‘so and so passed away.’ It’s like it is taboo.
I am originally from the Dominican Republic and part of the Catholic culture there is that death while not celebrated is certainly not kept a secret and when someone passes away all neighbors, families and friends far and wide are notified and expected to go to the funeral mass, attend the Catholic nine days prayers at the home of the of the deceased and on the ninth day the mass at the church from which people return to the cemetery with roses and last prayers until when the first year of the death comes by. At each year anniversary a mass is requested and people return to the cemetery with flowers etc… To say that death is not hidden in Catholic practices in the Dominican Republic. But, in the United States and I think due to the Protestant influence, it is as though it just simply doesn’t happen.
Anywho…care to share some Catholic quotes on death and your thoughts about the benefits of remaining aware that people die and we ourselves will die someday?
I thought we could share some quotes and thoughts on the topic of death and the benefits we obtain by being aware of it for ourselves and others. The Cures of Ars tells us in a sermon that some young beautiful aristocrat passed away and her body needed to be taken to Granada. A person holding some title in the Church was put in charge of the job. He needed to see the cadaver before departing from Madrid (?) and once again confirm it was the same cadaver when it arrived in Granada. The person said that it was the same cadaver but it had certainly deteriorated a lot. The person after that experience of having known this powerful and most beautiful young woman develop to such a state totally devoted himself to serving God. I will get the exact details of the story, but, there is obviously a great benefit of being conscious and aware that we are not going to live forever. Many people live as if they were going to live for ever and as if the things of this world are all that matter.
Another story Saint John Vianney shares in one of his sermons is that of a man who experienced strong passions for a young lady but apparently was called to a religious life. He became a desert monk (?) and one day learned the woman was passing away. He went to see her and the smell that came out of her cadaver was very strong and unbearable. He took a handkerchief and placed it inside her mouth to absorb well the smell. Then, back at the desert when he thought of her who he still had feelings for, he would smell the stinky handkerchief and tell himself that he had been a fool to consider or allow himself to be tempted and betray his calling for a creature that finally ended up with the smell that was on his handkerchief.
Where I live one would think no one ever dies. Death simply does not happen around here. It seems as though people live forever. It’s like a social thing, death is not talked about and when it happens the cadaver is quickly taken care of and that’s it. It is not common to learn of someone’s passing unless you happen to ask about the person. It’s not like people open up the topic and volunteer ‘so and so passed away.’ It’s like it is taboo.
I am originally from the Dominican Republic and part of the Catholic culture there is that death while not celebrated is certainly not kept a secret and when someone passes away all neighbors, families and friends far and wide are notified and expected to go to the funeral mass, attend the Catholic nine days prayers at the home of the of the deceased and on the ninth day the mass at the church from which people return to the cemetery with roses and last prayers until when the first year of the death comes by. At each year anniversary a mass is requested and people return to the cemetery with flowers etc… To say that death is not hidden in Catholic practices in the Dominican Republic. But, in the United States and I think due to the Protestant influence, it is as though it just simply doesn’t happen.
Anywho…care to share some Catholic quotes on death and your thoughts about the benefits of remaining aware that people die and we ourselves will die someday?
