MARY, OUR MOTHER

This is cool! I just discovered that there is a blog on Catholics Online! So I jotted down these words as a start and reposting them here.

I just posted here my latest St. Alphonsus except from his book "Attaining Salvation, Devout Reflections and Meditations". The reflection was on Death and what prayers to say at that moment. So here's a few thoughts of mine:

Do you think about your death? You should, you know. I think it was Fr. Rutler who wrote a book about the "Four Last Things" i.e. death, judgment, Heaven, Hell. So thinking about these events that surely must happen, let's take death first:

I always thought I would die at about 62 years old. My mother died in her sixties and my dad died at 37 (He had TB from the war). I was born a "blue baby", which means I didn't get the proper oxygen at birth and also had a heart problem. At about 11 or 12 I developed Rheumatic fever, enlarged heart and something called chorea (not sure of the spelling). Anyway, I was supposed to die then, according to what the doctors told my mother. At one point I had a fever of 107 degrees and was in an oxygen tent! Amazingly, through God's grace, I survived but always had those thoughts of death with me. Now I'm, not a saint but I do try to stay in a state of grace, avoiding occasions of sin, so that if I do die, I can at least say I tried to be good. When I was young, I used to think that my father was watching me from Heaven, and if I did something sinful he would see me and get mad. Actually, it is God the Father who is always watching us, so we better be good!

That brings me to Judgment: When I die I always wonder what I will be judged upon. Did I do any "good works", save any souls, teach any religion, feed, clothe, visit, console anyone. I'm sure I did, so I hope the scales balance out in my favor! By the way, I wear the Brown Scapular as an added grace for a happy death! One of the promises is that Our Lady will get us out of Purgatory on the first Saturday after we die, I hope to die on a Saturday, so I don't have to go to Purgatory! (smiley face)

Heaven: that's my goal, unlike many Catholics who say, "I just want to make it to Purgatory", my goal is Heaven, and with my Mother Mary as my salvation and guide, I'm really looking forward to that blessed day of flying with the angels to Heaven.

Finally Hell: Someplace where no one should go but unfortunately many do. If you do go there, it was not God who sent you! You condemned yourself by your rejecting God's grace and love; even hating Him because He tried to save your soul!

Inspired by the children of Fatima, I always pray for the conversion of sinners and try to bring the message of God's love to everyone I meet. Jesus, Mary, I love You; Save souls!

So that's some of my thoughts on the Four Last Things! What are yours?
Deacon John