Comments on: Die Like A Christian http://www.catholicdadsonline.org/posts/3339/die-like-a-christian/ Because we need all the help we can get Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:43:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jason Gennaro http://www.catholicdadsonline.org/posts/3339/die-like-a-christian/#comment-7855 Jason Gennaro Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:29:29 +0000 http://www.catholicdadsonline.org/?p=3339#comment-7855 Brilliant post! Rob and John, those are both moving descriptions of heroism in the face of impending death. Lately, I've been thinking about the Christian way of dying to self in the small matters of everyday life. It was sparked by something that Catholic mom blogger Danielle Bean <a href="http://twitter.com/DanielleBean/status/10619193651">tweeted</a> recently: "Do not say “In a minute” at all today." I wonder if for most of us there will not be many extraordinary moments of suffering worthy of a "Christian death to self" and instead all we are left with is motification of the small things? Brilliant post! Rob and John, those are both moving descriptions of heroism in the face of impending death.

Lately, I've been thinking about the Christian way of dying to self in the small matters of everyday life. It was sparked by something that Catholic mom blogger Danielle Bean tweeted recently: "Do not say “In a minute” at all today."

I wonder if for most of us there will not be many extraordinary moments of suffering worthy of a "Christian death to self" and instead all we are left with is motification of the small things?

]]> By: John Jansen http://www.catholicdadsonline.org/posts/3339/die-like-a-christian/#comment-7695 John Jansen Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:31:33 +0000 http://www.catholicdadsonline.org/?p=3339#comment-7695 <em>When he was getting to the point when he was unable to meet with them anymore, he told them that he was getting ready to die and that he wanted to show them how a Christian is supposed to die.</em> Rob, Your account of this priest you knew -- may he rest in peace -- reminded me of someone I knew. When I was a sophomore in high school, one of my teachers died after a 22-month battle with liver cancer. He was one of the most brilliant men I have ever known, and a devout Catholic. After being diagnosed with cancer, he was very public with his students about his willingness to accept his impending death (as well as in the local media, publishing numerous op-ed pieces in the local newspaper, and being interviewed at least once by a local TV station). Given his strong love for teaching, he taught as long as he could until he became too sick to continue. A few weeks before he died, he asked one of his good friends -- a priest who also taught at our school -- to celebrate Mass at his apartment the following Sunday, as by that time, he was homebound. Along with a few other students and parents, I attended as well. I would have to say that was one of the most memorable Masses I've ever been to. I still remember how difficult it was for me to see the teacher I regarded as an intellectual giant so weak, sick, and exhausted from cancer that he fell asleep numerous times during Mass. Like the priest Rob wrote about, he was showing us how a Christian is supposed to die. Although this teacher was a lifelong bachelor and thus not a biological father, he was very much a spiritual father to me, and to the many, many students who had the privilege of being taught by him. When he was getting to the point when he was unable to meet with them anymore, he told them that he was getting ready to die and that he wanted to show them how a Christian is supposed to die.

Rob,

Your account of this priest you knew — may he rest in peace — reminded me of someone I knew.

When I was a sophomore in high school, one of my teachers died after a 22-month battle with liver cancer. He was one of the most brilliant men I have ever known, and a devout Catholic.

After being diagnosed with cancer, he was very public with his students about his willingness to accept his impending death (as well as in the local media, publishing numerous op-ed pieces in the local newspaper, and being interviewed at least once by a local TV station).

Given his strong love for teaching, he taught as long as he could until he became too sick to continue.

A few weeks before he died, he asked one of his good friends — a priest who also taught at our school — to celebrate Mass at his apartment the following Sunday, as by that time, he was homebound. Along with a few other students and parents, I attended as well.

I would have to say that was one of the most memorable Masses I've ever been to. I still remember how difficult it was for me to see the teacher I regarded as an intellectual giant so weak, sick, and exhausted from cancer that he fell asleep numerous times during Mass.

Like the priest Rob wrote about, he was showing us how a Christian is supposed to die.

Although this teacher was a lifelong bachelor and thus not a biological father, he was very much a spiritual father to me, and to the many, many students who had the privilege of being taught by him.

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