“Death. It comes for us all m’lords,” said St. Thomas More to his interrogators. The three certain things in life are: death, taxes, and God loves you, but how many of us really think often about our death, or like to think about death at all? Someone once called death “the most taboo subject of all.” 

For many of us, death is what tore a loved one away from us, and so it is also shrouded in sadness and loss. But Christians should have a different slant even as we grieve. The early Christians’ (and I suspect many cloistered nuns today who live only for God and not much of anything else) attitude toward death was that of achieving a long-strived for goal, a going home to be with Christ, a fulfillment. So what changed between the early Christians and us?

I think we got a smidge too comfy in this life. I think we cozied up to this world a bit too much, became too complacent, perhaps, as prosperity, technological advances and modern medicine made our lives easier, healthier and longer. It seemed we could have a little slice of Heaven on earth—but only in a natural sense. The Second Person of the Trinity becoming incarnate gave us a whole new supernatural dimension to our lives: to live the very divine life of God while on earth through the Sacraments and sanctifying grace. 

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“We are citizens of Heaven,” as St. Paul said.

But how can we not get too attached to this earth and our earthly lives? Isn’t it good to care deeply about and be invested in our lives and the lives of others here and now? Certainly, and with the right perspective, an eternal perspective, we can keep our eye on earth and heaven at the same time. 

Ever since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, we were born to die (Adam and Eve chose death for all their descendants). But because of Jesus’ Sacrifice, because we live A.D., death is no longer the same. The gates of heaven are opened to us (if we want to be with God), and so…”O death, where is your sting?” 

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I think we need to see our death as the great transition we are all headed to: from the light of reason, to the light of faith, to the light of glory. Pope John Paul II’s last statement, six hours before his death, was: “Let me go to the Father’s house….”

Not too long ago, the Church used to actively promote the idea of “a good death.” What constitutes a good death? The best way to a good death is a good life, but, as we know, Jesus is most merciful to the11th hour workers and good thieves who only see the light later in life. Even so-called deathbed conversions of the truly repentant can be a good death. As hard as this may be to hear or believe, everything depends on that crucial and precious moment of death. This is why Our Blessed Lord told us to “store up treasures for yourselves in Heaven.” If we die in a state of mortal sin (the loss of sanctifying grace is the loss of friendship with God), we are deserving of Hell. However, keep in mind that if one has sinned mortally, had the sincere intention of going to Confession, and dies before they got to go, it is as one did go to Confession. Thus, also, the importance of calling for a priest when someone is in danger of death! 

Our Founder, Blessed Father James Alberione, used to have the Sisters surround the bedside of a Sister who had just died, and continue in prayer for quite some time. Why? He said we should pray, pray, pray for the departing soul because we don’t know the exact moment the soul leaves the body, but we do know that Satan makes one final attack as we are dying, in order to try to lead us to Hell. What if someone isn’t Catholic or doesn’t know God? That is left to the mercy of God, of course, but for we who do know God and His ways—why not prepare now for a good death?

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.

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Sr. Helena Raphael Burns, fsp, is a Daughter of St. Paul. She holds a Masters in Media Literacy Education and studied screenwriting at UCLA. HellBurns.com  X/Twitter: @srhelenaburns  #medianuns MediaApostle.com  Instagram: @medianunscanada