23rd Sunday after Pentecost - Memento Mori
"My daughter is even now dead."
At this time of thee year the Church actually wants us to think about death. It is not a thing that people like to think about, but it is always good for us to remember that "It is appointed unto men once to die."
A certain nobleman once made a pilgrimage to Rome in order to go to Confession to the Pope. In memory of this visit the Holy Father gave him a ring and asked him to read the inscription on it every day. On the ring was written, "Momento Mori" - "Remember that some day you must die." Wearing the ring and reading the inscription every day made such a change in the man's life that when the time came for him to die he was ready.
Death is a thing that we must prepare for. They once asked an old priest on his deathbed if he was afraid to die. He answered, "Do you think I would be such a tomfool as to be afraid of what I have been preparing for all my life?"
Mortal sin is the only thing which will make death hard. We should resolve never to stay in the state of mortal sin but to go to confession as soon as possible. The favorite trick of the devil is to get you to postpone going to Confession as long as he can because if he can keep you in the state of sin, you will belong too him for all eternity.
An Arabian proverb says that sin has five fingers. With two fingers it blinds our eyes so that we will not see how evil sin really is. If we really knew how great an offense sin is against God, we would never offend him. With two fingers it blocks our ears so that we will not hear the voice of God. When we are in the state of sin for a length of time, our hearts become hard and we do not wish to repent. With the last finger it blocks our lips so that we will not speak words of sorrow and repentance. We should never be afraid to speak words of repentance because God is always ready to hear them.
Death seems far away for children; yet our Lord keeps reminding us: "You know not the day nor the hour." When we say the Hail Mary we pray that Our Lady will protect us now and at the hour of hour death. We forget that there will come a time when "now" is "the hour of our death."
An excellent habit for you to cultivate is to say this prayer for a happy death every day:
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give thee my heart and soul.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with thee."
~Sunday Morning Storyland, Imprimatur 1945 ~
At this time of thee year the Church actually wants us to think about death. It is not a thing that people like to think about, but it is always good for us to remember that "It is appointed unto men once to die."
A certain nobleman once made a pilgrimage to Rome in order to go to Confession to the Pope. In memory of this visit the Holy Father gave him a ring and asked him to read the inscription on it every day. On the ring was written, "Momento Mori" - "Remember that some day you must die." Wearing the ring and reading the inscription every day made such a change in the man's life that when the time came for him to die he was ready.
Death is a thing that we must prepare for. They once asked an old priest on his deathbed if he was afraid to die. He answered, "Do you think I would be such a tomfool as to be afraid of what I have been preparing for all my life?"
Mortal sin is the only thing which will make death hard. We should resolve never to stay in the state of mortal sin but to go to confession as soon as possible. The favorite trick of the devil is to get you to postpone going to Confession as long as he can because if he can keep you in the state of sin, you will belong too him for all eternity.
An Arabian proverb says that sin has five fingers. With two fingers it blinds our eyes so that we will not see how evil sin really is. If we really knew how great an offense sin is against God, we would never offend him. With two fingers it blocks our ears so that we will not hear the voice of God. When we are in the state of sin for a length of time, our hearts become hard and we do not wish to repent. With the last finger it blocks our lips so that we will not speak words of sorrow and repentance. We should never be afraid to speak words of repentance because God is always ready to hear them.
Death seems far away for children; yet our Lord keeps reminding us: "You know not the day nor the hour." When we say the Hail Mary we pray that Our Lady will protect us now and at the hour of hour death. We forget that there will come a time when "now" is "the hour of our death."
An excellent habit for you to cultivate is to say this prayer for a happy death every day:
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give thee my heart and soul.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with thee."
~Sunday Morning Storyland, Imprimatur 1945 ~