Lenten Book Club

Today we are going to discuss Day 22 from our Lenten Reading Plan with St John Vianney.

Ok, I will say right off the bat, death is not my favorite subject. I have always had this fear, obsessive fear, with dying that only got worse after having children.

I wish I could say it was a fear based in offending God and losing my soul, but no, it was a fear of leaving what I love, and wondering how they would my family would survive without me…how’s that for pride?

I was speaking to priest one time about this fear and what would my husband and children do without me, and his reply? “If God takes your life while they are young, it will be for their good.” Are you kidding me?! For their good to be without their mother? But if we believe that all things work together for the glory of God, then yes, for their good.

And so now I try to look at death from the perspective of gaining my eternal salvation so I can be of good to my children while in heaven. And that’s what this passage of our Lenten reading is all about, preparation for death.

1. How does one prepare spiritually for death without becoming obsessivly consumed with thoughts of death?

2. How is Lent helpful in this preparation?

St Joseph, whose holy feast we are getting ready to celebrate on the 19th, is the patron of a holy death.  A traditional practice is to honor the foster father of our Lord on Wednesday’s. Here is a prayer to St Joseph for a happy death…

PRAYER FOR A HAPPY DEATH
O Glorious St. Joseph, behold I choose thee today for my special patron in life and at the hour of my death. Preserve and increase in me the spirit of prayer and fervor in the service of God.   Remove far from me every kind of sin; obtain for me that my death may not come upon me unawares, but that I may have time to confess my sins sacramentally and to bewail them with a most perfect understanding and a most sincere and perfect contrition, in order that I may breathe forth my soul into the hands of Jesus and Mary. Amen

Join us in the comments for this week’s discussion. Remember next week we will discuss Day 29 of our Lenten Reading Plan. Don’t forget to pray for our priests!