praying for death

[Holland]

Is it wrong to pray for your own death?

 

[SMHW]

My answer would be a qualified , “No, ones own death is not (always) a bad thing to pray for.”

I say qualified because death in and of itself is not a worthwhile goal but what comes with death could be a desirable goal if one is in a state of grace.

If death is understood to to mean an end of pain and suffering, then that is not a bad thing to pray for.

If death is meant as the entrance into eternal life then that would be a good thing to pray for.

If death is meant as the means to see God face to face then that is certainly a good thing to pray for.

St. Paul speaks about the tension between staying in this world and moving on to the next in in Philippians 1:21-24,
“For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, (for) that is far better. Yet that I remain (in) the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.”
One just always needs to remember that we ought to pray that God’s purposes be fulfilled whether by our living or by our dying.

 

[stringbeanduck]

Depends why you are praying for death. Are you in dispair or are you anxious/excited to see God’s kingdom? We should all be excited to meet God one day, but also be aware of His will for us on Earth may take a while.

 

[Jermosh]

It depends on the intent. If you are mortally sick, or severely injured and in pain… No. The Church recognizes Life, but it also values Human Dignity as valid as well. JPII finally gave up and refused further treatment.

If its because ones life is miserable and are depressed. Yes it is a SIN IMO, as for culpability of it, that’s between them and their maker.

 

[thistle]

Is it wrong to pray for your own death?

I would say yes its wrong.

Accepting death is different from wanting death.

Just like suffering. If suffering comes to us we should accept it and offer it up as a sacrifice to God but we should not seek out suffering.

 

[Methodi]

Some people are living in some very horrible conditions, sickness, loneliness, cant do anthing for themselves anymore, & I heard of a lot of them asking God to take them

 

[Awake]

I would say yes its wrong.

Accepting death is different from wanting death.

Just like suffering. If suffering comes to us we should accept it and offer it up as a sacrifice to God but we should not seek out suffering.

What about many of the saints and church fathers who sought martyrdom?

“Grant me nothing more than to be poured out as an offering to God… I am passionately in love with death.” -Ignatius of Antioch

 

[thistle]

What about many of the saints and church fathers who sought martyrdom?

“Grant me nothing more than to be poured out as an offering to God… I am passionately in love with death.” -Ignatius of Antioch

The death of martyrdom is different from a normal death. The OP is not talking about martyrdom.

 

[Awake]

The death of martyrdom is different from a normal death. The OP is not talking about martyrdom.

But you just said that we shouldn’t want suffering or death.

 

[ready]

Praying for death seems to be what depressed people do when life is too much for them. And when people want to be in heaven with Jesus because they love him so much, they should still leave their death up to Him, because he created us to know, love and serve him and be happy with Him forever in heaven…and He’s the one who calls us to heaven when we are ready to go, not when we can’t put up with suffering. We should be abandoned to God’s will in suffering and pray for alleviation if necessary, and not death, as wishing for death before it is our time to go seems to put the person in a vicious cycle of depression which isn’t good for anybody.

 

[DebChris]

Martyrdom is not about wishing death. A martyr by definition is a witness. Praying for martyrdom is praying for the grace and courage to witness to the truth of Christ, even if it means losing one’s life.
We find in scripture individuals who despaired of life to the point of wanting it to end. [Read Tobit].
There is a difference between praying for life to end and taking one’s own life or the life of another… I do not know the mind of the OP. What I see is a prayer for life to end as a cry for help. “Lord, I can’t take it anymore. Take my life or give me what I need to endure and overcome that which I presently face.”

 

[Methodi]

Praying for death seems to be what depressed people do when life is too much for them. And when people want to be in heaven with Jesus because they love him so much, they should still leave their death up to Him, because he created us to know, love and serve him and be happy with Him forever in heaven…and He’s the one who calls us to heaven when we are ready to go, not when we can’t put up with suffering. We should be abandoned to God’s will in suffering and pray for alleviation if necessary, and not death, as wishing for death before it is our time to go seems to put the person in a vicious cycle of depression which isn’t good for anybody.

Unfortunately, people can`t help it when severe depression descends upon them, they live with an unbearable dark cloud over their head which sometimes is just too much to bear

 

[ready]

Martyrdom is not about wishing death. A martyr by definition is a witness. Praying for martyrdom is praying for the grace and courage to witness to the truth of Christ, even if it means losing one’s life.
We find in scripture individuals who despaired of life to the point of wanting it to end. [Read Tobit].
There is a difference between praying for life to end and taking one’s own life or the life of another… I do not know the mind of the OP. What I see is a prayer for life to end as a cry for help. “Lord, I can’t take it anymore. Take my life or give me what I need to endure and overcome that which I presently face.”

I agree. A prayer for life to end is a cry for God to help.

 

[ready]

Unfortunately, people can`t help it when severe depression descends upon them, they live with an unbearable dark cloud over their head which sometimes is just too much to bear

A girl told me I think it was for three years that she had prayed for death. I felt so bad for her when she told me. I didn’t know her for those three years, but I would have tried to help her as best as I could. Unfortunately, she had been abused really bad and has a mental illness. She was caught in a vicious cycle it appears. If anyone tells me they want to die, I will definitely intervene on their behalf with prayer and good deep conversation with them.

 

[Methodi]

A girl told me I think it was for three years that she had prayed for death. I felt so bad for her when she told me. I didn’t know her for those three years, but I would have tried to help her as best as I could. Unfortunately, she had been abused really bad and has a mental illness. She was caught in a vicious cycle it appears. If anyone tells me they want to die, I will definitely intervene on their behalf with prayer and good deep conversation with them.

For years, when ever I heard of a suicide, I would always think, if just the right person was there for them maybe they could have been saved. When U have clinical depression caused by an imbalance in chemistry, That is a most horrible thing & In many cases there is nothing to help these people except give them medical lobotomy. To me, mental illness is far worse than any physical illness. Life is not fair 7 we definitekly aren`t created equal

 

[ready]

For years, when ever I heard of a suicide, I would always think, if just the right person was there for them maybe they could have been saved. When U have clinical depression caused by an imbalance in chemistry, That is a most horrible thing & In many cases there is nothing to help these people except give them medical lobotomy. To me, mental illness is far worse than any physical illness. Life is not fair 7 we definitekly aren`t created equal

Mental illness truly is the crown of thorns of Christ. And probably the most painful part of Christ’s suffering was what he mentally/psychologically and spiritually had to endure. If the mentally ill could just reach out to a good priest and the Good Lord Himself, like Jesus did in his dereliction on the cross with His Father and like addicts do with their 12 step program making them depend wholly on God, they’d hopefully be able to keep themselves from the final act of despair, suicide.

 

[Methodi]

Mental illness truly is the crown of thorns of Christ. And probably the most painful part of Christ’s suffering was what he mentally/psychologically and spiritually had to endure. If the mentally ill could just reach out to a good priest and the Good Lord Himself, like Jesus did in his dereliction on the cross with His Father and like addicts do with their 12 step program making them depend wholly on God, they’d hopefully be able to keep themselves from the final act of despair, suicide.

There are hopelessly mentally ill people who cannot be helped, that`s why they keep them locked away

 

[ready]

There are hopelessly mentally ill people who cannot be helped, that`s why they keep them locked away

But if they had someone who genuinely cared for them, not just medically, I bet they’d be able to improve in numbers.

 

[Methodi]

But if they had someone who genuinely cared for them, not just medically, I bet they’d be able to improve in numbers.

WEll, unfortunately, I am not sure about that, some mental illness can be treated with meds, But U have heard of them not taking their meds & comitting horiffic crimes, where the hopelessly mentally ill, there is no help except sometime they give them lobotomies which make them like zombies

 

[ready]

WEll, unfortunately, I am not sure about that, some mental illness can be treated with meds, But U have heard of them not taking their meds & comitting horiffic crimes, where the hopelessly mentally ill, there is no help except sometime they give them lobotomies which make them like zombies

You are misunderstood about the mentally ill. Statistics reveal that it is the mentally ill who are the targets of most crimes, not the perpetrators. And the perpetrators who are mentally ill are like the other perptrators of serious crimes, usually on drugs or alchohol. It is the drugs or alchohol dependency that gets them in trouble, not their mental illness. I know someone personally who attempted suicide four times, and not for attention. This person is doing just fine now, as the person has found roots in Jesus and not in others or in mere medication/treatment. St. Joseph Labre had schizophrenia according to Fr. Benedict Groeschel. St. Joseph died a saint, not some violent crazed man in need of a labotomy. I believe with all my heart that labotomies wouldn’t be necessary if the sick patients recieved the proper treatment from society, family, and friends. Maybe some mentally ill patients are far gone into mental illness, but I believe there is hope for even them too, if there were only the proper love for them in their lives.