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DEATH

"It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment" - Heb 9: 27

The sentence of death has been given to all men. It is a punishment for original sin. The most
enviable fortunes, the most exalted dignities, the proudest triumphs, lose all their splendor when they are
viewed from the bed of death

What is death – separation of the soul from the body. At death, we will have an immediate
particular judgment.

Few things are certain in this life but death (and taxes?) are most certain.

The most interesting thing about death is not men like to deceive themselves into thinking that
there death is along away off, but that they often live as though they are not going to die. As
though they are not subject to the laws of death like the rest of them. They don’t want to hear,
speak or think about death (unless if it’s the death of someone else but even then only as a
passing thought or event).

Why does St. Ignatius want us to think of death? This is because only by thinking of our own
death are we able to put all our affection and possession in their proper order. “Man thou art dust
and to dust you shall return”.

“Remember thy last end and you shall never sin” – Eccl 7
This is what St. Ignatius want us to recall. He wants us to realize that this earthly existence is
short and passing and that we shall have to render an account for all that we have. He wants us to
comprehend that the things of this life are all vain. Many deceive themselves into forgetting that
they shall have to die one day. They work to up an abundance of material possession without any
though of providing for the next life. They thus only store up a corruptible wealth. Speaking of
such foolishness that is often found among the wealthy St. James affirms “Go to now, you rich
men: weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered:
and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you and shall eat your flesh like fire. You
have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days.” – James 5:1 – Expound on this – i.e.
The possession we have should and can be used to help us increase our treasure in heaven and to
render service to our brothers in need etc.

I. Introduction
a. St. Cyprian: “We are born with the halter around our neck.” Every
step, every breath, every tick of the clock brings us closer to the grave.
All of our arrangements and plans mean nothing in the face of death.
The dead man says, “Yesterday for me; today for thee.” Today we
may have a pretty face, a winning smile, but soon – we do not know
when – it will all pass. We will die, and sooner than we think. Some
will sorrow, some will praise, some will rejoice and condemn. All will
forget. He is carried to the grave, where the body becomes a feast for
 worms, bugs, bacteria. It becomes slimy, with a horrendous smell.
Cheeks, lips, and hair fall off. “Contemplate the sepulchers of the
dead and see if you can distinguish who has been a servant and who a
master.” Death is the great equalizer.
b. Image – Myself on my death bed
c. Grace – perfect contrition for sin
II. Death is a punishment for sin – God has condemned all because of
one sin. Why did this mother die? this young child? this old man? Not
because of a fever, an accident, a heart attack, etc., but because of sin, the
sin of Adam. Sin brings forth death.
Sin = an abuse of time Death = deprivation of time
a. Death is a passing. It shows us that our happiness is not here below.
Everything here is transitory.
Lk. 12:16 And he spoke a similitude to them, saying: The land of a certain rich
man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he thought within himself, saying: What
shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said: This
will I do: I will pull down my barns and will build greater: and into them will I
gather all things that are grown to me and my goods. And I will say to my soul:
Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thy rest: eat, drink, make
good cheer. But God said to him: Thou fool, this night do they require thy soul of
thee. And whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that
layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God.
We are all in the hands of God. We could die at any time, when God
chooses. I must always be ready to die, to appear before God. A good
death is the grace of grace, something we cannot merit and must pray
for daily. Only 1 of 70 Catholics in the US receive the last
Sacraments.
We must accept in a spirit of faith the death that God has planned for
us. We should even long for Heaven, to see OLJC. Much merit can be
gained from accepting death, especially on our death bed.
b. Life is short. We must prepare for death now. We cannot wait until
tomorrow, for tomorrow we die. We must always be in the state of
grace. How many put their eternity in jeopardy for a mere nothing, a
simple pleasure, etc.? Our Lord always had His death in mind. Monks
kept skulls by their side. Remember death and you will not die in
Hell.
III. Three States of Death
a. Leaving all behind – I die in a few hours.
b. Death in the state of mortal sin – All is lost! My life is a failure.
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss
of his soul?
c. Death in the state of grace – A passage, not a destruction; a joyful
day.
 IV. The Particular Judgment

St. Bernard says, “Look on the sins and blush, Look on the sins of manhood and weep, look at
the present disorders of your life and tremble and amend. Look at the graves of the dead and say
to yourself, if these could live again, what would they not do to attain eternal life, and I who have
time, what do I do for my soul”

a. Consider the number of your sins, their culpability, their effects on

others, the scandal given, etc. Every single action of our life has a
moral quality to it. It is either good or bad, depending on the reason
for which we perform the action. Each action has eternal
consequences. How great, then is the gift of confession! It is an
invention of God’s love and mercy.
b. O great moment of eternity! At death, we will understand the value of
time and the ease of saving our soul and gaining merit. What would I
have wished to have done once I am in eternity? That is what I should
do now.
Remember that you this day will come

“What is your life, but a little vapour that appears for a little while” - James 4:15

St. Charles Borrameo kept before himself, a scull that he might constantly contemplate it.

St. Francis Borgia, after seeing the rooting corps of Queen Isabella of Spain, was moved to
realize the emptiness of this world and entered the religious life to prepare to stand before God.

St. Theresa of Lesiex used to rejoice each time she heard the clock strike as she would say that
“in every moment in life, I may sin and loose God.”

While you have time have recourse to the Saints and especially to the mother of God.

c. How fearful we are to appear before a human tribunal! What will not
be our terror when appearing before the Most High God, before whom
nothing is holy? How much should I fear, when the saints themselves
trembled? What shall I say when Christ shall appear, showing His
wounds. What have you done with all that I have given you, your
hands, your mind, your tongue, your will?
V. Colloquy – Thank God for time given you. I will use the rest of my
time well. No more mortal sins! I will prepare myself for death and pray
daily for a happy death. Finish with triple colloquy.
Some points:

All that you posses now will one day belong to other weather you like it or not! This life is
transient. Make use of the time you have to order you possession properly. Use this time now, for
tomorrow is not promised to you. Our Lord gives us a most perfect parable in this regard in St.
Luke’s gospel (Luke 12:16) – Read it to them and expound.

By death we shall be despoiled of all earthly possessions. They will go into the hands of another.
The great Kings, Presidents, Emperors of the earth, where are their kingdoms, where is there
power and wealth now. How did they far before the judgment seat of God? Men have come
before you and men will come after you and what matters is eternity. One saints constantly had a
real skull before him to remind him of this. He had inscribed on it “What you are I once was,
what I am you will be.”

In what state will we be in when we die? We don’t know. We must make preparation now. We
will die as we have lived. Many deceive themselves that they will repent at death. Only God can
give us such a grace and we are not promised that we will have that time since many die a
sudden death etc (i.e. 911 – expound on this somewhat as it relevant).

Who will remember you after your death? The wicked we prefer to forget – The saints are the
ones we want to remember. The good will have people pray for them. The wicked even their own
will shortly forget about them. Many will only become a source of goods for others in the things
they leave behind but nothing more than that. Some one may week for you for a day or so but
then what? Nothing more!

Contemplate – Imagine that you are lying in your grave. You have died. People around at the
funeral. Listen to what they say. Think about how you have dealt with the things you possessed,
honors, wealth etc. Think about how you shall far in this regard before the dreadful judgment
seat of God who scrutinizes the heart. Who penetrates our inner most being and who is far more
exacting than any priest could ever be.

The body grows cold and heavy– and within a few hours the corps already begins to smell with
an intolerable odor. The more we have pampered the flesh the more greater is the stench.

You are forgotten shortly, after a while you’re name is no longer mentioned. Some even avoid
ever mentioning your name. For many there only thoughts are of what you have left behind.

Contemplate your death well, now, while you have time. Prepare for that great day. If only we
did. – Wordings, hours, days, months, years, or an entire life time making preparation for events
that mean so much to them. But what preparation do we make for that day which awaits us all. I
will say that to your credit, the fact that you are says that you have decided to make some
preparation, then make us of this time on retreat to contemplate the reality of this great day.
Imagine you’re self in you’re tomb, having already died. –

The Devil knows that your salvation ultimately depends on the state in which you are found at
death. For this reason at this moment of death he try is best to have you turn away from God. The
final battle is thus always the strongest. He will bring back to you all your old temptations,
failings, attachments. How will you answer? How will you triumph if you have only followed
your passions and sort your own will all your life. What strength will you have to resist. What
merit or good works will you have to call up in your defense?

To help you understand this point more clearly I will add that while the devil will do the utmost
to tempt us with regards to things of this world, he himself has nothing in this world. He has no
desire or love for this world. He is far superior to us. He loathes our inferior nature and delight in
the fact that we a damned as a result of our own nature, namely because being made of mater and
spirit we blindly allow ourselves to cling to the carnal things of this world instead delighting in
the heavenly things which we have been offered. So imagine him as he accuses you on judgment
day.

St. Paul tells us that “the Just man lives by Faith” (Rom 1:17). And so like he dies with faith. He
is not afraid of death because he lived in the world but was not of the world. The Just man knows
that he was not made for this world but for eternal life. Look for example at the bold and daring
world of St. Paul. Listen to what he says about himself and his salvation “I have fought a good
fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a
crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day”- 2 Tim 4:7

Yes, he was not afraid of death but looked forward to it as a day in which he would be rewarded
for having been a faithful servant of Christ. This is how every Catholic ought to approach death.
But one can only have such confidence after having lived a life in conformity with the principles
of the gospel. As the religious have often said concerning their own lives “It’s hard bed to lye on
but an easy bed to die on!” – It’s not easy to live in the world and not be contaminated by it’s
deceptive spirit, but if we do so, we can look at death with confidence since we shall have lived
as thou we were not citizens of this world but citizens of heaven going home. However your
eternity begins here death only consummates that journey.

Prayer:

Ask for the grace to strive after eternal gain. The grace to detach ourselves from all vain earthly
affection and to set our hearts of the things above. Ask Saint Joseph who is the patron of the
dying the grace to grant you a holy life so that you may die a holy death. Ask the BVM to obtain
the grace of humility and perseverance.