Do You Think About Your Death?

Elizabeth Estrada wanted to help her son learn not to fear death but instead to appreciate the beauty of the Resurrection.

I remember being about 10 years old or so and being terrified of dying. I am not sure where I learned to be afraid of death, but I carried this fear with me until recently.

Perhaps part of it was that when I was a child, my mom tried to protect us from thinking of death and funerals. I never attended a funeral until my own mother’s as an adult! Losing her was hard and traumatic on many levels, but never experiencing a funeral made it worse.

However, once I became a mother myself, I didn’t want my son to be afraid of death the way I was, especially because I believe in the beauty of the resurrection. A couple of years ago, I heard Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP chat about her book, Remember Your Death, on a podcast. I became fascinated with her perspective and relieved with her new outlook on an ancient tradition called Memento Mori, or remember your death.

I read her book for Lent last year and it totally changed how I think about death. I am no longer terrified. It’s not that the natural fear is gone, but I can talk about it and deal with it in a healthier Christian way.

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This idea that death is not the end and that heaven is the end of the journey has brought me much comfort. #catholicmom

I am thankful that I learned about it because in these last two months many friends and dear people that I have known in my life have died tragically. This idea that death is not the end and that heaven is the end of the journey has brought me much comfort. Being so close to death, especially when tragedy is involved, encouraged me to pray more for their souls and to offer Masses for them.

Since learning about this practice, I try my best to do an examen at the end of the day and have my soul as ready as I can today instead of tomorrow. One doesn’t know the day or the hour.

I am sure that my dear friends couldn’t ask for the last rites or maybe not even a prayer, so doing this brings me comfort. I have also adopted the practice of offering masses for loved ones who are alive on anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions, because it is such a blessing for their souls.

As we approach the season of Lent, I invite you to pray for holy souls, offer Masses for your loved ones living or deceased, and try to remember your death.

What if today is your last day on earth: is your soul ready?

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