The article helps—thank you—especially against the objection I learned as a Protestant that there WAS a calculus of works in the Catholic view. Your presentation underscores thatChrist wants all of us including our final responsive moment, not a percentage. When we fall we receive and do sacramental penance and start anew strengthened by grace. What could be more truly merciful and healing than that?
My November—how I love traditional November!—reading includes Pieper’s Death and Immortality. Today I read that when we truly care for anyone we think, “You shall not (must not) die!” It’s the flip side of affirming, “How good that you exist.” This must be why Jesus wept. And took on death to fulfill God’s justice and save us from being eternally lost. What wondrous love. To which we are invited to commend ourselves nightly, and at the last.
Good piece. Such a relieving thought that we are judged for the state of our soul at death and not with a “cumulative GPA” standard against us. God is merciful, and if we live our lives cooperating with God’s grace, that final exam will indeed be an answer of “Yes!” to God. As à Kempis reminds us in the Imitation, “Habit is overcome by habit.” A man who habitually loves God is never far from Him—for he knows to always avail himself of the Lord’s mercy.
I also somehow remember Proverbs 24:16 as saying "seven times per day." However, the Vulgate, Douay-Rheims, and King James all have just "seven times" not "seven times per day." Not that it changes the meaning too much, since "seven times" is of course a metaphor for "often." It is apparently a misquotation that has appeared in several places.
Well, live and learn. My mother taught me 70 times per day. I then learnt 7 times per day and now you tell me 7 times. I checked. It's 7 times. Thank you free donut aspect ratio. Where do these names come from?!
The totality of our faith journey is subordinated to the final state of our restless souls at the moment of death?
This presents to me an idea that is faintly spiritual and more weighted to psychology combined with a scientific materialism of brain activity. I’m not convinced and wasn’t when I first heard of it years ago. Hell is an awful punishment to suffer for those final moments when a soul or psyche may be subject to regret, sorrow, sadness or fear. And the mercy and justice of God Himself is nowhere to be found at the critical moment of death as the psychologist has replaced the Almighty.
As I tried to explain, the final moments of our life are a microcosm, a reflection, of the journey we have traveled. If we have lived faithfully, our death will be faithful. And even if we have lived unfaithfully, there is the grace of a deathbed conversion, which has happened too many times to count. God is indeed merciful, which is why He doesn't judge us on a report-card that averages the rest of our life, but on how we commend our spirits to Him at the decisive time of transition.
Certainly once a dying person has diminished mental capacity, or is heavily drugged, the voluntariness of their actions is also diminished, as moral theology teaches; and therefore we're not talking here about the very last moment of consciousness, but the last act of free will toward God, surrendering one's soul to Him. This might happen, in fact, several days before death.
I don’t know…I was recently with a dear friend when she died. I can tell you that I felt much mysterious stuff going on at that moment of death. I believe God can stretch out time as He wishes, to give the sudden death of a soul that extra space to choose Him.
The article helps—thank you—especially against the objection I learned as a Protestant that there WAS a calculus of works in the Catholic view. Your presentation underscores thatChrist wants all of us including our final responsive moment, not a percentage. When we fall we receive and do sacramental penance and start anew strengthened by grace. What could be more truly merciful and healing than that?
My November—how I love traditional November!—reading includes Pieper’s Death and Immortality. Today I read that when we truly care for anyone we think, “You shall not (must not) die!” It’s the flip side of affirming, “How good that you exist.” This must be why Jesus wept. And took on death to fulfill God’s justice and save us from being eternally lost. What wondrous love. To which we are invited to commend ourselves nightly, and at the last.
Good piece. Such a relieving thought that we are judged for the state of our soul at death and not with a “cumulative GPA” standard against us. God is merciful, and if we live our lives cooperating with God’s grace, that final exam will indeed be an answer of “Yes!” to God. As à Kempis reminds us in the Imitation, “Habit is overcome by habit.” A man who habitually loves God is never far from Him—for he knows to always avail himself of the Lord’s mercy.
I also somehow remember Proverbs 24:16 as saying "seven times per day." However, the Vulgate, Douay-Rheims, and King James all have just "seven times" not "seven times per day." Not that it changes the meaning too much, since "seven times" is of course a metaphor for "often." It is apparently a misquotation that has appeared in several places.
Well, live and learn. My mother taught me 70 times per day. I then learnt 7 times per day and now you tell me 7 times. I checked. It's 7 times. Thank you free donut aspect ratio. Where do these names come from?!
Let's not be too hasty here.
The reason why this elision has occurred is simple: Luke 17:4.
"And if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day be converted unto thee, saying, I repent; forgive him."
It seems Our Lord is the one who added the "seven times in a day," and by a natural process it was attached to the Proverbs verse.
"Where do these names come from?!"
Ask yourself.
A wonderful reflection!
Love the allegorical painting! ⌛🔔🪓🌳💀
Remember Death......⚰️🪦💫
🌐 MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS SAVE US! 🕊️
One would think that those who I sist on the Church as field hospital would *not* put so much stock in a Judgement Day Final Exam.
But, they must. How else are they going to protect the more beloved of their sinfull habits and proclivities?
The totality of our faith journey is subordinated to the final state of our restless souls at the moment of death?
This presents to me an idea that is faintly spiritual and more weighted to psychology combined with a scientific materialism of brain activity. I’m not convinced and wasn’t when I first heard of it years ago. Hell is an awful punishment to suffer for those final moments when a soul or psyche may be subject to regret, sorrow, sadness or fear. And the mercy and justice of God Himself is nowhere to be found at the critical moment of death as the psychologist has replaced the Almighty.
As I tried to explain, the final moments of our life are a microcosm, a reflection, of the journey we have traveled. If we have lived faithfully, our death will be faithful. And even if we have lived unfaithfully, there is the grace of a deathbed conversion, which has happened too many times to count. God is indeed merciful, which is why He doesn't judge us on a report-card that averages the rest of our life, but on how we commend our spirits to Him at the decisive time of transition.
A fair and good reply but not everyone at the moment of death has the opportunity “at the moment of death” to commend their spirit to God.
Certainly once a dying person has diminished mental capacity, or is heavily drugged, the voluntariness of their actions is also diminished, as moral theology teaches; and therefore we're not talking here about the very last moment of consciousness, but the last act of free will toward God, surrendering one's soul to Him. This might happen, in fact, several days before death.
Or right before a head on auto collision or during a heart attack, if the deceased was fortunate to be in a state of grace.
I don’t know…I was recently with a dear friend when she died. I can tell you that I felt much mysterious stuff going on at that moment of death. I believe God can stretch out time as He wishes, to give the sudden death of a soul that extra space to choose Him.
This is definitely true.
🌴🌙🪚🪵🔨 Saint Joseph the Betrothed, patron of the Universal Church and of a good death, pray for us....