Ash Wednesday – A Day to Contemplate
ASH WEDNESDAY…A DAY TO CONTEMPLATE OUR DEATH
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
“Memento mori, meaning “Remember your death”, was a Christian practice popular in medieval times. But remembering one’s death in order to live well is an ancient tradition that stretches back for millennia, to before the coming of Christ. The Hebrew Scriptures are full of reminders to remember one’s mortality and to keep the end of life in mind.
The Book of Sirach urges, “In whatever you do, remember your last days, and you will never sin” (7:38). The Rule of Saint Benedict, written for monks in the 6th century, includes the imperative to “keep death daily before one’s eyes.” For Christians, death is illuminated by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Remembering death is more about remembering that Christ has saved us from the death of sin.”
Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP a Daughter of Saint Paul, a religious order commonly referred to as the Media Nuns. A former atheist, she now works to evangelize through social media. You can find her writings at Aleteia or follow her on twitter, where she tweets daily about the Christian practice of #mementomori. She can also be found at
www.pursuedbytruth.com
Matt Fradd gave a wonderful talk at the Legatus Summit that is on YouTube entitled The Four Last Things (Death, Judgment, Heaven & Hell). Here is the link to watch;
Dan Burke, from www.spiritualdirection.com, has answered the question, “Why
meditate on such horrible things as hell and last judgment?” Follow this link for the
answer: