Preparing For Death

[Fidelis]

Years ago, Catholics were taught that one should always be prepared for death. That is, one should do all they good to be in a state of grace, and offer prayers for this purpose. The Catechism says:

1014 The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death. In the ancient litany of the saints, for instance, she has us pray: “From a sudden and unforeseen death, deliver us, O Lord”; [Roman Missal, Litany of the Saints.] to ask the Mother of God to intercede for us “at the hour of our death” in the Hail Mary; and to entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death.

Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out. Death would have no great terrors for you if you had a quiet conscience. . . . Then why not keep clear of sin instead of running away from death? If you aren’t fit to face death today, it’s very unlikely you will be tomorrow. . . . [The Imitation of Christ,1,23,1].

Praised are you, my Lord, for our sister bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.
Woe on those who will die in mortal sin!
Blessed are they who will be found
in your most holy will,
for the second death will not harm them [St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures.].

The question is: are your prepared for a holy death? Is it something we should think about? Why or why not?

 

[Bob_Baran]

I remember that when I was in grade school the nuns told us to say an Act of Contrition before we went ot bed at night. For the most part this has stuck with me for many years. Another thing that we were taught was to pray to St. Joseph for a peaceful death…reminding us that St. Joseph died with Jesus and Mary present. I pray that you and I and all of our forum and family members pass into the next life in this manner!

 

[Teresa9]

Dear friend

When we wake up in the morning our hearts should sing praise to God for Him allowing us to live another day and we should live everyday as if it is our last in all we do, say and think, serving God.

We should end everyday thanking God for the day He so graciously gave us and for our safe keeping through the night.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you and those you love

Teresa

 

[Fidelis]

Bob Baran:

I remember that when I was in grade school the nuns told us to say an Act of Contrition before we went ot bed at night. For the most part this has stuck with me for many years. Another thing that we were taught was to pray to St. Joseph for a peaceful death…reminding us that St. Joseph died with Jesus and Mary present. QUOTE]

You mean this one?

Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Happy Death

O Blessed Joseph, you gave your last breath in the loving embrace of Jesus and Mary. When the seal of death shall close my life, come with Jesus and Mary to aid me. Obtain for me this solace for that hour - to die with their holy arms around me. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I commend my soul, living and dying, into your sacred arms. Amen.

 

[Bob_Baran]

Fidelis:
Not exactly those words but the same idea.

 

[puzzleannie]

Night prayer (compline) from LOTH is the perfect prayer before bedtime to be prepared for death, and includes and examination of conscience. My grandmother’s advice to always wear clean underwear is also good to keep in mind. My dread is that I will die one night while my house is a mess and my daughters will have to cope.

 

[Augustine]

Where is “I’m not prepared to die yet”?

I hope that God is mercyful and gives me time and graces to straighten up.

 

[walter.gonzalez]

I’m ready

 

[Mijoy2]

Teresa9:

Dear friend

When we wake up in the morning our hearts should sing praise to God for Him allowing us to live another day and we should live everyday as if it is our last in all we do, say and think, serving God.

We should end everyday thanking God for the day He so graciously gave us and for our safe keeping through the night.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you and those you love

Teresa

While we are on earth our salvation is not assured (Catholic).
Which means we cannot rest peacefully until we have in fact left this earth.

Having said this why would not wish it to end now? Why would we feel we should “sing in praise”?

I’m not asking this to be facetious. I realize it may sound that way. It’s an honest point of logic. Given the severe nature of the hell we understand and no guarantee we are not going there, why would a believer in this hell not want to escape the threat as soon as possible?

 

[kayla]

I’m ready…but I wasn’t 6 months ago…thanks to the Holy Spirit for leading me back to the Church!
question tho… hope this doesn’t sound too morbid but, is it a sin to be creamated when we die?

 

[caroljm36]

kayla:

I’m ready…but I wasn’t 6 months ago…thanks to the Holy Spirit for leading me back to the Church!
question tho… hope this doesn’t sound too morbid but, is it a sin to be creamated when we die?

No, not a sin now. I read it in the CCC but can’t cite here.

I think about death a lot but I’m not ready, but like kayla I’ve been getting closer these past few months.

 

[Teresa9]

Mijoy2:

While we are on earth our salvation is not assured (Catholic).
Which means we cannot rest peacefully until we have in fact left this earth.

Having said this why would not wish it to end now? Why would we feel we should “sing in praise”?

I’m not asking this to be facetious. I realize it may sound that way. It’s an honest point of logic. Given the severe nature of the hell we understand and no guarantee we are not going there, why would a believer in this hell not want to escape the threat as soon as possible?

Dear friend

I re-read your post several times and I am still not clear exactly what you are asking me. If you are asking why should we not wish to die, well God is God of life, He desires life so much He wants to give us not only this earthly life but also eternal life and yes we can lose eternal life and fall at any time to lose that, but personally I trust God and trust He will be merciful and loving. I know He knows my heart and I cannot deceive God.

Why would I not wish my life to end now? It is never good to wish life to end, no matter how hard life is, because all life is sacred no matter how ill someone is or the age of a person, whether in the womb or in old age.

Faith is good news, our Risen Lord is enough joy to last a lifetime and if that is not something to sing in praise about then I don’t know what is.

Peace is in Christ Jesus and His peace is as present here as it is in the next life if we join our will to God’s and live in His Son Christ Jesus. This in His Holy Catholic Apostolic church, is the Kingdom of heaven on earth. Obviously, when we die we know all of our trials are over, but it is in these trials that we glorify God as well as in our blessings.

To live in faith and work for God out of fear of hell is no way to live in faith, we live in faith and work for God because we love Him, we want to know Him and serve Him regardless of our eternal end…why? Because we know the Kingdom of heaven and trust in God’s eternal love of humanity, because we know that there is no true peace or happiness that is not in God, there is only one happiness for the human soul and that is our Creator, the Truine God.

I believe God keeps me here in this life for as long as He wills it and not a second longer and it is a pure gift from Him and this is everything to give love, praise and thanks to God for. To live in His creation, to share human life with others and to serve Him in His Kingdom on earth. To thrust that back and desire the after-life even before God ordains my death is like being an ungrateful child for the gifts He has given me. If I am sent to hell it is God’s will and therefore just and right. I cannot serve Him in fear of hell, I serve Him in fear of not serving Him well and strive daily to do better for Him, not for me.

Death is nothing to fear as when we die we are going home to God, perhaps the how we die is worrying, will it hurt etc…but death itself is a blessing of returning to God. We should not desire death, because we must live life in God until our last breath and eternal life is the reward of LIVING the LIVING word of God.

The joy of faith is acceptance of everything in this life and the next in total trust in God. I believe God loves me and trust in His Providence over my life, as long as I keep joining my will to His, and keep my heart repentant, I trust in Him

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

 

[Mijoy2]

Teresa9:

Dear friend

I re-read your post several times and I am still not clear exactly what you are asking me.
Teresa

I think you did know what I was asking you.
And you answered it beautifully.

God Bless you Teresa, sometimes I need a wake up call

 

[Teresa9]

Mijoy2:

I think you did know what I was asking you.
And you answered it beautifully.

God Bless you Teresa, sometimes I need a wake up call

Dear friend

God Bless you always and thank you for your kindness.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you and those you love

Teresa

 

[Augustine]

caroljm36:

No, not a sin now. I read it in the CCC but can’t cite here.

I can’t quote it either, but our pastor said that it used to be an affront to the Church to do so by pagans a few centuries ago. Therefore it was considered a sin not per se, but for what it was culturally associated with. Still according to him, now that hardly anybody intends to rub a cremation in the Church’s face, it’s allowed. However, the ashes must be kept together, not spread over the ocean or the prairie, as it’s often portraited.

 

[Annunciata]

I consciously prepare for a holy death…
For death could come like a thief in the night …so you better believe that I’m consciously preparing!

 

[Toni]

Everytime it looks like I may be in an accident I have a short discussion with God, please don’t take me till I can go straight to heaven. I recently read about a man that had masses said for his soul several times a week for years. When he died there was no money left for Masses. He bought his insurance while he was alive. 1 Mass said for you while alive is like 10 or more Masses said when you are dead. So weekly I have Masses said and pray that God takes me when I can go straight to heaven and not make a pitstop in purgatory.

Great question!

 

[genevieve.oz]

It’s just too easy to not think about death these days - until it touches your life personally (or threatens to) and then, not having thought about it, you go into a tailspin…

When people die nowadays, they are taken to hospital to die and we don’t tend to ‘see’ death, it’s all taken away from our sight.

I now tend to think of death as being potentially a lot closer than I used to. Whether I’m spiritually prepared, though, is another question… I like the idea of saying an act of contrition before bed, might start that…

 

[Sir_Knight]

I think about my death often but don’t feel that I am spiritually prepred for it yet (some days I feel like I am but most days I feel like I’m not) so I didn’t vote in the poll because I didn’t see an answer to pick.

Toni:

… Everytime it looks like I may be in an accident I have a short discussion with God, please don’t take me till I can go straight to heaven …

Everytime it looks like I may be close to death I have a short discussion with God, please don’t take me till I can avoid the fires of hell.

Toni:

… I recently read about a man that had masses said for his soul several times a week for years. When he died there was no money left for Masses. He bought his insurance while he was alive …

That sounds like an excellent idea.

Toni:

… 1 Mass said for you while alive is like 10 or more Masses said when you are dead …

I heard that 1 Mass said for you while alive is like 1000 Masses said when you are dead

Toni:

… So weekly I have Masses said and pray that God takes me when I can go straight to heaven and not make a pitstop in purgatory …

How do you accomplish this? My parish has a limit of two Mass intentions per year per family and we use those intentions for my wife’s parents and for mine.

 

[Edwin1961]

I have in the past seldom thought about my death, but in the past few years, I am more and more reminded. My father became Catholic at the age of 77 in 2001, yet he passed away just shy of his 79th. in 2002.
My father had a ‘short’ time being a Catholic and a just as short time left here.

When I hear priests, apologists and others constantly remind me that we will ALL have to face God at the Judgment Seat (in Revelations), it put reverence fear inside me and keep my moral compass in check.

I also work on genealogy and going to cemeteries is a common practice to look at gravestones for information. I pay more attention to the fact that these are not ‘just facts’ they are people who STILL have souls that will go to either Heaven or Hell.

God IS with Us!
Edwin