"It may seem morbid to reflect on death and dying.

"I guess it depends upon your motivation.

"If a person engages in self - pity -- beware..."



Rev. William J. Nessel, O.S.F.S. shares his ideas on the subject in the January 2010 issue of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review. His article is titled Death and dying.

"Time of death.

"Ordinarily, a human being cannot predict the time of his death.

"However, there are exceptions.

"Recently, EWTN showed a film on the life of Redemptorist Father Seelos, who was recently beatified.

"He told a fellow passenger on [a] train headed for New Orleans that he would be there for year and then the Yellow Fever plague would break out and he would die from it.

"This is how he died a year later.

"Final remarks.

"It may seem morbid to reflect on death and dying.

"I guess it depends upon your motivation.

"If a person engages in self - pity -- beware.

"Death is both inevitable and final.

"If we are faithful, we much to look forward to: the afterlife will be beautiful, thrilling and forever

"We will dwell with God for an eternity, a God who fashioned the blazing red sun, the golden brown fields of wheat, the brilliantly twinkling stars and distant planets...

"He is the person who sent his own Son to die so we might live forever.

"St. John tells us that God is love.

"For us heaven will be the ultimate experience of unconditional love..."