The Night Prayer of the Church as a “Rehearsal for Death”

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 03-05-15 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

Video

[RitaOK]

Nice.

[Salvation]

I remember saying this one.

Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

[Salvation]

Monsignor Pope Ping!

[Rappini]

Thanks I will use if you don’t mind.

[defconw]

I find myself appealing to St. Michael the Archangel more and more.

[Carthego delenda est]

Ditto that

[defconw]

Funny story popped into my head while I am meditating on this. The Church switched from calling it “Last Rites” to the Anointing of the Sick, because people would get embarrassed if the priest was called and the person didn't die. :)

[defconw]

I also have always thought that it was interesting that the wake came about because people used to be just unconscious and not dead, so they would put a bell in the coffin and wait a few days to make sure the person was really dead.

[Salvation]

That’s a new story for me.

[defconw]

Well it would really suck, if you really weren't dead. But this is way back when they didn't know what we know now. :) I also believe it had something to do with the 3 days, that everyone waited for Jesus to resurrected. Of course this is just what I have heard in the past. The historians will probably arrive and blow holes in it. :)

[JoeFromSidney]

As the song has it, "No matter how much you struggle and strive, you'll never get out of this world alive." Best to remember that.

[defconw]

Thinking on that theme. My 89 year old Mother in Law is going to find out today that she will have to be hooked up to oxygen 24/7. It will be interesting to see what she does with that information.

[chud]

http://www.universalis.com/compline.htm

[JoeFromSidney]

My 89 year old Mother in Law is going to find out today that she will have to be hooked up to oxygen 24/7.

My daughter-in-law is hooked up to oxygen 24/7. It doesn't stop her from being a school teacher, nor from traveling to visit us.

My first wife (God rest her soul) was hooked up to ambulatory dialysis 24/7. She lived a fairly good life that way for the five years until her death.

I hope your MIL fares as well.

[painter]

A lot of times when I’m laying in at night I will say a decad (sp) of the rosary. It is easy to do. I just use my fingers.

[Rich21IE]

Hopefully she’s a non-smoker.

[defconw]

Thanks. She is in OK shape for 89. But she has renal failure, stints in her heart, broken bones from sitting due to osteoporosis and now fluid on her lung because an artery is blocked, thus the oxygen.

It will be interesting to see if her will to live continues to be as strong as it has been before. I think people do have a bit of control over it. I think it's acceptable to pray for death if it be his will. Not that I would pray for her death, but maybe if I were in that situation. It's interesting to ponder.

We knew this yesterday. They will break the news today. Not sure if this means back to her assisted living or to the nursing home. It's odd to watch this progression and yet it will come for us all if we live long enough.

[Bigg Red]

Lovely.

[defconw]

That's the irony of this situation. She was always so proud to tell anyone who would listen, how she never smoked. Well you see where that got her! LOL.

I have always marveled at how much we as humans fuss over these things when we really have very little control over the when and how of death.