How do you feel about your own death?

[puzzleannie]

What about it? today I am alive, one day I will be dead, and then my real life will begin. I just try to keep my earthly affairs and the state of my soul in order so I will be ready when it comes.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

mark a:

I’m pretty sure I’ve got to do time in purgatory too. Can I open a “prayer account” now?

Dear mark a,

I believe you can. What types of prayer do you currently perform? Vocal, meditative, contemplative, some of each? If you have a spiritual director you can ask about how to deepen your prayer life, which is perhaps redundant with the purpose of why you’re seeing him. If not, you might start by reading the CCC paragraphs 2607-2724 about forms or prayer. Contemplative forms of prayer invite God and allow a very close union which can be transforming. I’ll leave it at that for the moment because I’m not sure whether your question was serious or rhetorical.

Alan

 

[mark_a]

AlanFromWichita:

Dear mark a,

I believe you can. What types of prayer do you currently perform? Vocal, meditative, contemplative, some of each? If you have a spiritual director you can ask about how to deepen your prayer life, which is perhaps redundant with the purpose of why you’re seeing him. If not, you might start by reading the CCC paragraphs 2607-2724 about forms or prayer. Contemplative forms of prayer invite God and allow a very close union which can be transforming. I’ll leave it at that for the moment because I’m not sure whether your question was serious or rhetorical.

Alan

Thanks for asking. I’ll start by saying that prayer wise, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

I pray the Rosary (one set of the day’s mysteries) normally daily, then a couple of nights a week with the family. Doing this for a few months now.

If the family doesn’t have time (that sounds awful, I know), I am trying to work in the Angelus. It’s hard to get it to sound organized and precise.

Then on Fridays I do a bread fast. I’ve been doing this only 4 or 5 weeks, but it seems to agree with me.

 

[Mijoy2]

Frightened. Yet I know it’s inevitable thereofre I must accept it.

I have recently come back to the Catholic faith after many many years of totally ignoring faith. Prior to coming back I was never afraid of death. Probably because I had such little faith in a creator that I also had little or no fear of Hell. Now, that I have been on a two year journey of exploring faith I feel quite differently.

I DO believe that Jesus is our savior (to a measurable extent). I believe that God the Father sent His only son to save us from our sin. However, as a human being (and an engineer) I’d be lying if I said I totally discount the faith of others. This would be, statistically speaking, irresponsible and ethically speaking, pompous. There are 1 billion Muslims and countless other people who feel the faith I have in Catholicism is unfounded. I can disagree, but I cannot totally discount it.

I believe I was more at peace when I had less faith. I felt if there is a God he understands my doubt and will judge me accordingly. He knows the difficulties in my life and therefore He knows the reason for my sins and understands (I feel differently now). If there isn’t a God I have absolutely nothing to fear. Non-existance is not a frightening concept to me.

Now, I feel, if I happen to die in mortal sin, I could be cast into Hell for eternity. If the Islam faith turns out to be the true faith I’m tossed into hell for eternity.

It was easier prior. I’m not so sure it should be this way.

 

[TheQuestioner]

I for one, would like to see alot of things before I die. But alas, this is so unlikely.

 

[Shoshana]

Death…a good question. Who thinks of it? I know I do once in a while. Maybe it is because I saw so many close people die (one of them my dad). They were all painful deaths. I was able to pray an old friend in his transition by reciting the rosary and guiding him to let go. That was such a holy moment. My dad was not aware and suffered so much. It is so difficult to see anyone experience such physical pain and it is kinda scary…

A couple of years ago it happened to me but it was so unexpected. I have Crohn’s and because of it I had a kidney stone that was quite large. Infection after infection and the specialist decided to laser it anyway. Shortly after that there was septicimia and my blood pressure was 40/30. I was totally at peace even with the pain in my head, my leg, etc and I surrendered to the Lord. They whisked up to the Intensive Care and put me on some dopamine for five days. And after I surrendered I thought of my beautiful grandchild…and I said to the Lord: 'I know I surrendered but I should talk to my spiritual director first, eh? (I have had a spritual director for over 20 years). It was my way of joking with the Lord (as I do sometimes), and I guess it wasn’t my time yet. I went home and on the same day, I went back in with an embolism in my lungs. Again the Lord did not take me. I was made aware that He can come at any time…anywhere. I try to be as ready as I can be spiritually.

But what seemed so easy years ago seems so difficult now to do. I see my shortcmings all the time and I have made retreats over the years (especially St Ignatian Exercises), and I have asked the Lord to help me see myself as He would see me. I ask Him to point out my weaknesses and sins. And he always complies. Usually only one at a time… I try to work on these with His grace.

Anyway, that is it…I realize death is really a rebirth but I guess it is only human nature to be a bit anxious about it.

Blessings,
Shoshana

 

[jennstall]

I think very little about my own death, but I find as I’m growing older that I’ve been thinking more and more about my parents’ future deaths. It’s the thing that really tells me I’m an adult, having to think about these things, I guess. I’m two years older than my mother was when her mother died. I know that my mother will be ready when her time comes, but I do not know that **I **will be ready when her time comes.

 

[triciafrancess]

I don’t think a lot about my death, but I do think a lot about my life and how short it is relative to eternity. Pondering that helps me put into perspective what happens during life, both good and bad.

Sometimes when times are really rough, I think it will be a relief to die, but then I realize I’m just feeling sorry for myself. When things are going well, I realize how temporary everything is.

 

[csr]

A fine book on this subject is Life After Death According to Catholic Teaching by Luis Sergio Solimeo. The end of chapter one includes this information and prayer:

Saint Pius X highly recommended that the faithful pray the following act of conformity to the will of God. He even enriched it with a plenary indulgence at the moment of death for whoever prays it devoutly everyday:

Lord, my God, with all my heart and complete free will, I accept now from Thy hands the kind of death that Thou hast reserved for me, with all its afflictions, pains and sufferings.

---

I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house;
and the place where thy glory dwelleth. Psalm 25:8 *

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

Its not about the wealth and the material things…If I can land in an upper level of Purgatory, I will consider myself as having lived a HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL life.

Its funny…everyone wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die! Me included.

But seriously…I asked some folks at one time if Jesus came today and offered to take you to Heaven NOW… or give you another 30 years… I was the ONLY one who stated I’d say, “Lets go Lord”! I was looked at like I had two heads. Isnt the POINT of living to be able to attain Heaven? So if Jesus came and said yep…you made it… I will take you NOW…or give ya another 30 years on Earth…why would I wanna stay?

Even if the Lord said, we can go now and you will recieve a great mansion in Heaven…but if you stay for 30 years…I will give you even greater…but you wont have me appear to you at the moment of death but you will still go to Heaven…I would STILL say…nope…lets go NOW…he’s in front of me…my courage and hope are at an awesome high… and lets do it!

I recently watched Miracle of Marcelino… Gosh…would that Jesus appeared and offered us to lay in his arms and die right now…who wouldnt want to die?

If we can only have that sort of death…I’d hope the world would want to die in that manner and begin Heaven.

 

[Toni]

Teresa9:

Dear friends

Now this could be seen as a morbid subject, but in this case it isn’t!! . If someone has recently lost someone I offer my condolences and prayers and apologise if this post has caused painful memories. In my life I have lost alot of people close to me and I honestly believe that up until the last hours or days people do not ponder their own death in detail. Personally I think we should do this (not the how or where’s of dying) but the fact of dying and is our life in order as we do not KNOW the hour.

As my faith has deepened (I’m perfectly healthy by the way so no imminent reason for my death…thank God) I have reflected on living, dying and the afterlife.

I would love to hear your reflections on this if you feel able to post them as often death is a taboo and difficult subject to reflect upon, though we do reflect on Jesus’ death.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

Teresa this is a good question and often one that people do not think about, but for me, when I go to Mass with my husband and I like a song I will tell him on the way home, please have them play that song at my funeral.
I typed wedding and funeral programs for many including my own mothers funeral, I typed mine once on my old computer so the readings I wanted and the songs I loved would be played, but I think by now I have picked so many that some how one of my favorites will be used.
But now it seems when some one is going to run me off the road I look up at God and say don’t take me unless your going to take me right to heaven. I have read enough about purgatory in my life time to know it is not a place I have any desire to stop at.
But it does seem Teresa since my mother died my desire to be with her and God grows stronger, but my kids tell me I have to live her until I am 90, hopefully God will not think the same.
I have lived my life to go to heaven so that is my great desire in life.

 

[yinekka]

Wandering around the net I happened on a VERY traditional site. One of the pages was headed 'how to prepare for bed" I clicked on it and read 1. prepare modestly for bed 2. think thoughts of death!!! :bigyikes: I didn’t read any further!

 

[davy39]

Highwayman:

Death is one thing that we will all have to face but thinking about our own personal death can cause some aprehension. Like will I go through a lot of pain first and will I be in a state of grace at the time.
Sometimes I wonder why we couldn’t all be baptised and die soon enough after as to go strait to heaven? When I was 7 I had a near death experiance from falling out of a boat in a flood. I was under long, about a half an hour. My soul left my body and I could see the world with spiritual eyes. Everything alive gives off the most beautiful light through the eyes of the Spirit. I was very near the intense white light of the next world when I heard a voice tell me I was going back. Leaving my body was bad enough but going back and feeling all that pain again being revieved was worse. I think the worse part of leaving was to me at the tender age of 7, not seeing what was at the end of the white light. When I was 46 I was given the pleasure of seeing what the light was, Jesus. One night when praying I saw a porthole of heaven open before me and from the light a voice said “So that you know who I am” and with a single touch He turned my world upside down. I was not blinded as was Paul on the road to Damascus but to expain what the touch of Jesus is like would take more time and energy than anyone could express. I think that is why John ended his Gospel with “I think the whole world could not contain the books that should be written”. For those who have had this experiance no expaination is neccesary and for the rest no expaination would be good enough.
Some times I wonder why I was sent back at the age of 7 or even why He has shown me what He has so far. Paul said it this way “We see dimly now as through a glass and what we are to become is not certain, but this we do know, that when Christ our hope shall appear we shall appear and we shall be like Him”. God Bless

What a story! How blessed you are to have seen just a particle of what is in store for us. This year has been a real eye-opener as far as death is concerned. I lost my brother in law, my mother in law, and a friend I worked with in a period of 3 months. Now if that doesn’t get you to think about death, nothing will. Five years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer, but due to surgery and the grace of God, I’m still here. So I look at every day as a gift from God, and try to make the most of it. God bless

 

[Annunciata]

Toni:

I will tell him on the way home, please have them play that song at my funeral…
…I typed mine once on my old computer so the readings I wanted and the songs I loved would be played, but I think by now I have picked so many that some how one of my favorites will be used.
… but my kids tell me I have to live her until I am 90, hopefully God will not think the same.
I have lived my life to go to heaven so that is my great desire in life.

Toni,
sometimes I think we are kindred spirits! They don’t like it when we talk about those things… I’ve found that it’s because they don’t really understand that we really want to be HOME…someday…
I think it has to be a special grace though because I used to be petrified at the mere thought of death never mind my own! Annunciata

 

[Catholic29]

I often fear what will become of me after I die. But the thought of leaving behind all the sufferings, hatred and evils this world has to offer, along with death’s inevitibility consoles me to be able to better accept my own death. But my fear of the unknown of what comes afterword is still there, and I pray God will help me overcome my fear of it when my moment arrives.

And I believe that one day I will be with everyone I have ever known and loved, most especially Jesus. But what would break my heart is if someone I deeply cared for ended up damned. How would I know that when I enter Purgatory or Heaven, would Jesus or an angel just tell me he or she didn’t make it?

 

[Toni]

Annunciata:

Toni,
sometimes I think we are kindred spirits! They don’t like it when we talk about those things… I’ve found that it’s because they don’t really understand that we really want to be HOME…someday…
I think it has to be a special grace though because I used to be petrified at the mere thought of death never mind my own! Annunciata

Annunciata how true, between you and Teresa and some others it is so wonderful that just typing and never picking up the phone to hear a voice you can read a post and know sure I will look at that one it is another kindred spirit, by the way out side of Jesus of Nazareth the Anne of Green Gables movies were one of my favorites because of the kindred spirit thing.
Teresa you have gotten some great answers to what many believe to be a very morbid question, and up until my moms death my family heard a lot about my death that some day will be. But after losing my mom and dealing with the pain of my other best friend being gone I decided if God wants me around for a while that it was ok because I know my family would miss me, although I do assure them that if they can get me out of purgatory I can help them more from heaven.

 

[Teresa9]

Dear Friends

Thank you all for your comments on a difficult subject to even think about let alone write about. It is like anything, we can prepare as much as possible, but the actual ‘act’ of something (of dying) is a different matter. The grace to die ‘well’ is what I think I need and I have asked for it. It should follow if you live well, you die well , not that that death will necessarily be peaceful, but that you will die with a heart full of love for God and of your brothers and sisters and death is then a passage of right.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

 

[DaveBj]

This is an excellent place to post a list I have been composing in my head over the past few days.

How will I know that I have died in my sleep?

1. I won’t have the jet engine running next to my right ear (tinnitus from a hearing loss).
2. I will be able to hear equally well on both sides of my head.
3. When I open my eyes, I will be able to see clearly, without first putting my glasses on.
4. Nothing will be itching.
5. When I stand up, my feet won’t hurt.

X… (add your own)

Last. I’ll find myself standing before the One Who gave Himself for me. He may tell me I need to go back to school for a while, but that’s okay; I’ll know that eventually I’ll be spending eternity with Him.

DaveBj

 

[hermit]

Any last words before we string you up?

I want to see Paris before I die.

Take him away

Philadelphia will do!

WC Fields.My Little Chickadee

When it comes right down to it, Philadelphia will do for most of us.

 

[Teresa9]

Dearest Davebj

I know what you mean…I once fell asleep with my contact lenses in and woke up thinking I was able to see!!! I was ecstatic, a miracle I thought, then I washed my face and saw the outline of the lense in my eyes!! Thought this may make you laugh…

God Bless and much love and peace to you

Teresa