Contemplating death…
Did you ever have a recurring dream? Today’s reading from Mass seemed like that to me.
The responsorial psalm is the same as Thursday’s;
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” Psalm 90
The first reading from Ecclesiastes speaks to man’s end…”Vanity of vanities!”
While our Lord warns his disciples, “Pay attention…the Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” Luke 9, 43.
The disciples “were afraid to ask him about this saying.” I believe this betrays a human fear of death, and therefore, something akin to a denial of death.
Few of us are prepared for death. We may think we are, yet I’m pretty certain we are afraid of it. I used to boast I had no fear of it. That is also a sort of denial…a vanity.
St. Joseph, patron of a happy death, pray for us now and at the hour of ours.
