Posted on 06/25/2016 1:28:01 PM PDT by NYer
Death is a tragedy for mortal man, and yet with faith in eternity and anticipation of the embrace of our heavenly Father, death becomes radiant.
We share today the news of the death of Sister Cecilia, a Carmelite of Santa Fe in Argentina, who suffered from lung cancer. She astonished those who surrounded her in her agony, as her face was transformed by a tender smile as she closed her eyes to this world. As you can see in the photograph, she looks like a lover who has arrived to the encounter she has long been yearning for.
The Carmel of Santa Fe announced the death of Sister Cecilia to their brothers and sisters and friends of the Carmel, with a brief, but profound, note.
Dear brothers, sisters and friends:
Jesus! Just a few lines to let you know that our very dear little sister has softly fallen asleep in the Lord, after an extremely painful illness, which she always endured with joy and surrender to her Divine Spouse. We send you all of our affection, thankful for your support and prayer during this time that is so sorrowful and yet also so marvelous. We believe that she flew directly to heaven, but all the same, we ask that you do not fail to pray for her. From heaven, she will reward you.
A warm embrace from your sisters of Santa Fe
Translated from the Spanish.
All photos via página de la Curia General de los Carmelitas Descalzos on Facebook
> Who smiles like this at the moment of death?
any man who has been married long enough
Yes, that.
My turn to than you for sharing this news. I associate him with red eye radio. This truly is good news. Of course, he did not need to look that far out to find God. A visit to any doctor's office should suffice, contemplating the intricate design of the human body is more than sufficient to recognize that we did not evolve from swamp gas. Unfortunately, your link did not post. Can you please send it to me? Many thanks!
Thnak you for the Bishop Barron book review. The lovely Carmelite sister has a warm smile on her death bed and had a brutal few years suffering from cancer. Barron is correct: we can ask the Lord to crush our lust and He will open doors for devotion, just like He probably did for Sister Cecilia.
Don’t know if this will work, but here’s the link to my FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/richard.bachert1
Beautiful face, warm, happy.
Couldn’t find the article but I am totally on board with your FB postings! Thank you for your service. It is an honor to meet you in the FR forum.
May her memory be eternal!
Mom said that she was holding her baby brother when he died and he smiled and held both hands up.
Also, my 50-something mentally handicapped brother-in-law did the same, and was holding a bunch of flowers in his hand that he had just picked.
I’ll say it. Heaven is better than sex.
Jesus is, indeed the Bridegroom THIS Shulamite longs for. His love is so intense...those who have experienced that intensity on a personal level know what this sweet girl was smiling about.
So are a vast array of physical, social, and intellectual enjoyments.
Better than sex out of place, perhaps, for the morally attuned.
But I mean better than sex IN place.
True. Jesus is the center of our faith. Jesus above all.
My aunt, a preacher’s wife for 50+ years, broke into a most beautiful, alert smile as she passed. Seemed she was being met by her husband and others who had gone on before. And her Savior.
*shrug*
Books.
Our friends from the Dutch Reformed Church have got it nailed.
The Church is the Bride of Christ.
That smile says it all. Death hurts for those left behind. For those heading to heaven, it the greatest gift they could ever receive. Grief is normal but there should be some joy for the dead as well. They beat us to Heaven. Who can’t wait to meet God and to meet Christ and feel their love directly in person? You would have to be insane. Death is a welcome thing, not a punishment. It is only bad for those left behind who miss the dead. Grieve for yourselves who are lonelier, not for those who are in Heaven with the Lord.
I agree. I personally would have not used any description that evokes carnal love, which is the furthest thing possible from our spiritual love for God. But it is all good. Nothing takes away from her example of her death with grace and love devoted to God, with a complete absence of fear or doubt. I would do well to die as well as this, embracing God with a complete absence of doubt or fear, just complete acceptance and joy knowning the Lord would soon have me.
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