Praying not to die

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RobertinRSA

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I posed this question to one of the apologists, then thought that it would make an interesting discussion point with the all of you apologists, so here it is…

Most people pray to God for them not to die, either when travelling or when in near death experiences. However, is this right? I do not think that there is a Catholic prayer that says, please protect me from death? We should want to be reunited with God. Catholic prayers rather pray for a decent end, e.g., “May the Lord grant me a quiet night and a perfect end.” Is this predominantly a non-Catholic Chirstian approach?

I’m interested in reading every else’s response. :tiphat:

:blessyou:
 
you are right that the Catholic approach seems to be for a good death, ie Mary with us, a peaceful end reconciled fully with Christ and the Church. There is a novel by a great Catholic writer, I want to say Grahame Greene, which has a character say: don’t ask what he died of, ask how he died, the manner of his passing. meaning how did he conduct himself at the time of death, what was his spiritual condition. We are instructed many times in nt to be always prepared for a pilgrimage, to leave on a Passover journey, our exodus.
 
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asquared:
you are right that the Catholic approach seems to be for a good death, ie Mary with us, a peaceful end reconciled fully with Christ and the Church. There is a novel by a great Catholic writer, I want to say Grahame Greene, which has a character say: don’t ask what he died of, ask how he died, the manner of his passing. meaning how did he conduct himself at the time of death, what was his spiritual condition. We are instructed many times in nt to be always prepared for a pilgrimage, to leave on a Passover journey, our exodus.
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👍 I love your quote. Especially thinking of all those death with dignity people who don’t understand that copping out from the pain is not dignified, and bearing the pain is the higher/ more redemptive road. I understand, of course that the person in the situation has so many factors affecting their perceptions and I am not judging. I am talking about the people sitting around advocating assisted suicide laws. I pray for a holy/happy death. btw: I have been with many as they were dying, as I worked in an assisted living, though not with anyone in pain. Please pray for all those under the care of others. 😦
 
this probably belongs in spirituality, but I recall a few weeks ago in the pool doing water aerobics, we all got on the topic of death (which in a senior’s park we think about a lot, since somebody drops about once a week). We were talking about how we want to die, all at once by a stroke, hit by a truck, don’t want to be “hooked up to machines”, living wills etc. they asked me and I said, “Well I am a Catholic, and I pray everyday to have the grace to accept whatever death God wills for me.” It was kind of a conversation stopper.
 
Great point. I’ve thought about this as well. It’s natural to want to have a peaceful death too (like dying in your sleep just after a great confession and receiving the Eucharist).

Often times, there is suffering as we die. If we pray to unite our suffering with Christ, that His glory may be served, that would be a good prayer too. Tough to do, but good I think.
 
I am devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and as such I hope that I will be granted his last promise he made to those who practice the devotion:

#12: I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their Sacraments. My divine heart shall be thier safe refuge in this last moment.

Pretty awesome stuff IMHO. :yup:
 
It seems that in the general religious population people really don’t want to die. That is, they really don’t want to go to heaven or in fact they really are scared that when they die, that is the end. Only once have I really heard someone say that they were looking forward to dying and meeting Jesus. It was a Morman lady.

I, myself, am like the person in the joke who does not raise his hand when the preacher asks who wants to go to heaven. When asked, why he didn’t raise his hand, he says, “I thought you were getting together a busload right now.”
  • Kathie :bowdown:
 
There is nothing wrong with praying not to die. Every day I pray my dh will make it home in one piece as he drives through rush hour traffic and as he goes out to his work sites. Wanting to go to heaven doesn’t eqaul a desire to die. Death is still a wrenching experience, not just for the one who dies but for his loved ones left behind. I don’t want to go before my time, not because I am afraid to die (I have moral certainty of my salvation promised by Christ in his Church) but because I know God has more for me to do, especially living for those who need me most.
 
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asquared:
this probably belongs in spirituality, but I recall a few weeks ago in the pool doing water aerobics, we all got on the topic of death (which in a senior’s park we think about a lot, since somebody drops about once a week). We were talking about how we want to die, all at once by a stroke, hit by a truck, don’t want to be “hooked up to machines”, living wills etc. they asked me and I said, “Well I am a Catholic, and I pray everyday to have the grace to accept whatever death God wills for me.” It was kind of a conversation stopper.
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That is a beautiful philosophy!!! And, a wonderful witness. Thank you for identifying yourself as Catholic. 👍
 
The Catholic tradition is to pray for deliverance from a “sudden and unprovided-for” death… :angel1:
 
Thanks for your comments.

Yip there is a big fear of death - in general! I think that is what hits us hard at funerals that we all have to travel down that road. We are all suddenly faced with our own mortality. At least we have a wonderful Father who has shown us, by coming back to us, that we should “not be afraid”!

:blessyou:
 
What I pray for is that I may have my last rites at death. I have seen my grandmother receive her last rites and it is so beautiful.

It is reassuring that we have the Blessed Mother and the Saints praying for us at the hour of death. “Holy Mary, mother of God, PRAY FOR US sinners now and at the hour of our death.”

Deep down in my heart, I also hope I don’t die in the winter. I don’t want go go into one of those vaults all winter and be buried in the spring. Stupid thinking, I know.
 
My protestant grandmother died suddenly and unexpectedly just last night.

She wasn’t eligible for the Last Rites anyway, so I have no grief about that part. Nor did she die through a long, difficult, physical and mental degeneration, but rather an easy end for which I have long prayed for her. I suppose that most protestants after death get quite a shock to end up in a place of purgation they never believed in, but I figure there must be angels at Purgatory’s front doors, ready to explain the situation - (Have no fear: you’re not in Hell!) 🙂

I pray not ever to die in my sleep, though. Nor to slowly lose my body and mind. Give me a relatively short-lived but excruciatingly painful death, in full possession of my mental and spiritual faculties, aided by the Last Sacraments…
 
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tjmiller:
My protestant grandmother died suddenly and unexpectedly just last night.

She wasn’t eligible for the Last Rites anyway, so I have no grief about that part. Nor did she die through a long, difficult, physical and mental degeneration, but rather an easy end for which I have long prayed for her. I suppose that most protestants after death get quite a shock to end up in a place of purgation they never believed in, but I figure there must be angels at Purgatory’s front doors, ready to explain the situation - (Have no fear: you’re not in Hell!) 🙂

I pray not ever to die in my sleep, though. Nor to slowly lose my body and mind. Give me a relatively short-lived but excruciatingly painful death, in full possession of my mental and spiritual faculties, aided by the Last Sacraments…
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I’m sorry about your grandmother, tjmiller. But it does make me wonder, if there are angels by the gates of purgatory…
 
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