Author Topic: Seeing the reality of Death with crystal clarity (Read 898 times)

Matthew · « **on:** January 22, 2014, 05:37:35 PM »

Have any of you ever had momentary clarity on the reality of death? What it would mean for YOU to die?

I understand death in the abstract, and I actually think about it quite regularly. And I try to live my life in a Catholic manner. To paraphrase St. Paul, "I'm not aware of anything" in particular that would disqualify me, but also like St. Paul, "I am not thereby justified -- God is the sole Judge".

But it's more than that. It's like a momentary intense light shining on the reality of death, which makes you see all the aspects of it at once, almost like at the moment of death itself. And another critical aspect of what I'm trying to describe: I can't duplicate it, no matter what thoughts I think about or meditate about on purpose. I can't "scare" myself with thoughts of death on command, but when this happens, this clear reality of me dying is a bit scary.

It's like I have this cardboard box around "death" most of the time, and it's something I can't remove even if I want to. But once in a while, the box is lifted so I can see the reality of death -- then several seconds later, the box is placed back down and my apprehension of death returns to "normal".

Just the fact that I don't know what death will be like, what the outcome will be, and especially the thought that everything I've done up till now is just a game -- it's a whole different world, and you can't go back-and-forth. Everything I've experienced in life is on the same plane -- I travel here, then go back home. But death is totally different. It's on a different level.

I consider it a grace, and I've had this happen several times.

Frances · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2014, 12:18:52 AM »

:dancing-banana:
An excellent description. I've had a number of peeks at death, the first being at age four. I was then not so much scared as intrigued. The most recent was when I heard of the death of a distant relative at age 32. I didn't even know she was sick and suddenly, her body lies buried in a Vermont cemetery. I last saw her healthy and happy at a party in 2008. It's hard to wrap my mind around the reality. Yes, I believe the small glimpses are definitely graces.

Cantarella · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2014, 12:57:13 AM »

The clarity of human death is a constant companion in my life since I am little. I think that has been a grace from Our Lord to truly cultivate my Faith.

soulguard · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2014, 02:04:40 PM »

I was close to ( the notion of, and actions to cause) death many times, but I will say that it is not the moment of dying that is significant, it is the preceding rejection of your comfortable perceptions and embracing the harsh truth that man is but an animal. Then the hospital starts to feel like you are in the wild. It is a trauma that one does not overcome, because one does not assign anything as being more worthy of building a new routine than the notion of death. With enough meditation on death, we can remove all attachment to this world, and avoid temptation to sin. I sin, but the world is meaningless to me now. I have had a hard time, but God has educated me in reality, a thing which those who often presume to lecture me in theology or history have not. I am no fool in these things, and I like to think that I help people with my wisdom. I know I have converted many to the faith, because I possess the truth. So pardon me if I dont seem to care what people on Cathinfo say about me. I can tell that many on this forum are more attached to the world than to the truth, and I do not apologize for saying so.

EDIT,

Also, this is not something that one talks about on a forum such as Cathinfo. It is un manly to contradict judge and ridicule those who have real life experience on this most grave matter and most certainly a sign of ignorance. There is much ignorance on this forum, and I doubt that the usual posters will be able to resist the urge to comment to deface the truth yet again.

John Grace · « **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2014, 03:05:50 PM »

Earlier this evening I stood beside the open coffin of a former teacher of mine. He was a priest for 49 years. I remember him as a man in his early 50s. He died aged 73. I saw the most recent photograph of him. Taken in early December. He deteriorated very quickly since then.

He always wore lay clothes in class. At the annual school Mass, he would wear clerical clothes and a collar. He wore clerical clothes for a funeral.
He gave up wearing the cassock citing him being a chemistry teacher. This brought him into conflict with the school principal at the time.

He taught me religion.

God gave him 73 years. 49 of those as a priest. He wasn't a Traditionalist.

Matthew · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2014, 06:17:42 PM »

I'd like to add a bit more --

Certainly one of the many thoughts (all of which I clearly understood at once) is the fact that death is totally inevitable. It doesn't matter how many people you rallied to your support -- the wealthy, powerful, friends, and family. Death is still coming.

You have *no* advocate who can stop it. Not even the angels and saints can stop it. They can help your death be a good one, they can intercede for you for graces that will help you save your soul -- but death will still come at the moment God has ordained.

I should also add that my clarity experiences on death are very much like the feelings you get from dreams, which vanish like dew in the morning sun. The last time this happened I was just waking up from sleep -- it's like my conscious brain wasn't yet awake enough to "soothe" myself according to its custom about the stark reality of death.

Part of that soothing is the usual things -- "serve God and don't fear death", "be a faithful child of Our Lady", etc. All the things the Catholic Faith gives us to deal with the very real human fear of death. Remember death is one of the main punishments for sin -- it is awful, horrible, and most don't like to think about it. It's a punishment indeed!