Death can come at any minute. Let us thank the Lord for every day He gives us as a gift. Because at the point of death, when body and soul separate, our state for eternity gets irrevocably fixed, we need to die with a prayer for assistance and mercy on our lips if ever possible. The following are prayers to say:
PRAYERS WHEN DEATH IS IMMINENT
“Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.”
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.”
“Jesus, Mary, Joseph, to thee do I commend my soul.”
If you can not speak before your death, kiss the crucifix instead; if this is difficult, place the crucifix on your chest and hold it.
If someone else is dying who can’t speak, make sure to offer them the crucifix, as this is then a prayer for him/her which helps them greatly at the point of death and final temptation before the separation of body and soul. Even people who have faith in Jesus are frequently not even aware that they could be tempted so badly at the hour of death that they lose their faith last minute due to the schemes of the evil one combined with our human weakness. It also helps people to remember and repent of sins during their life which hence they did not recognise as sins. It is very necessary to pray for a happy death for ourselves and pray for other people who are dying, so they can benefit from the Salvation made possible by Our Lord Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary.
Catholic Christians, moreover, are to be DEFINITELY helped to SEE A CATHOLIC PRIEST to receive the last rites, even if they received the Anointing of the Sick at an earlier point in their lives. It is useful to carry a notice in your wallet/handbag advising others that you are Catholic and need to see a priest should any life threatening situation arise. Such a note is available on this blog, please put “Notice ‘I am Catholic'” in the search facility in the top right corner.
If you are around a dying person or want to help other dying people to have a happy and peaceful departure from this world, please pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. It is also available via the search facility on this blog.
PRAYERS TO PREPARE FOR THE MOMENT OF DEATH
(These prayers can be said any time in life)
O Jesus, wash away my sins with your Precious Blood. O Jesus, the struggle against temptation is not yet finished. My Jesus, when temptation comes near me, make me strong against it. In the moment of temptation may I always say: “My Jesus, mercy! Mary, help!” O Jesus, may I lead a good life; may I die a happy death. May I receive you in Holy Communion before I die. May I say when I am dying: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul”. Amen.
O my crucified Jesus, mercifully accept the prayer which I now make to thee for help in the moment of my death, when at its approach all my senses shall fail me. When, therefore, O sweetest Jesus, my weary and downcast eyes can no longer look up to thee, be mindful of the loving gaze which now I turn on thee, and have mercy on me. When my parched lips can no longer kiss thy most sacred Wounds, remember then those kisses which now I imprint on thee and have mercy on me. When my cold hands can no longer embrace thy Cross, forget not the affection with which I embrace it now, and have mercy on me. And when, at length, my swollen and lifeless tongue can no longer speak, remember that I called upon thee now. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, to thee do I commend my soul. Amen.
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 fervour in the service of God. Remove far from me every kind of sin, and 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 contrition, in order that I may breathe forth my soul into the hands of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
O I beg you, most glorious Queen, do not forget me, poor exile that I am, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Remember that you are raised on high to be the better able to see those who suffer here below, and that you are made so powerful the more ready to succour us. You know, O Mary! how I am constantly assailed by enemies and temptations. Be my Perpetual Succour, watch over me continually, or I shall be lost. And when, through frailty, I fail to call upon you in danger, receive the intention I now make of doing so. May this always be the cry of my heart – Mother of Perpetual Help, do not forget me. Amen.
O glorious Archangel St Michael, by thy protection, enable my soul to be so enriched by grace as to be worthy to be presented by thee to Jesus Christ, my Judge, at the hour of my death. As thou didst conquer Satan and expel him from heaven, conquer him again and drive him far away from me at the hour of my death. Amen.
O Mary, Queen of Heaven, procure for me the assistance of St Michael at the hour of my death!
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