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A resource for both professional and armchair canonists.

Also including the GIRM, GILH, CCC, CCEO, DC, SST, ESI, USCCB Norms, and Vos estis.

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Paragraph 1010. Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." "The saying is sure: if we have died with him, we will also live with him." What is essentially new about Christian death is this: through Baptism, the Christian has already "died with Christ" sacramentally, in order to live a new life; and if we die in Christ's grace, physical death completes this "dying with Christ" and so completes our incorporation into him in his redeeming act: (1220)



It is better for me to die in (eis) Christ Jesus than to reign over the ends of the earth. Him it is I seek-who died for us. Him it is I desire-who rose for us. I am on the point of giving birth.... Let me receive pure light; when I shall have arrived there, then shall I be a man.

Paragraph 1011. In death, God calls man to himself. Therefore the Christian can experience a desire for death like St. Paul's: "My desire is to depart and be with Christ." He can transform his own death into an act of obedience and love towards the Father, after the example of Christ: (1025)



My earthly desire has been crucified;... there is living water in me, water that murmurs and says within me: Come to the Father.

I want to see God and, in order to see him, I must die.

I am not dying; I am entering life.

Paragraph 1012. The Christian vision of death receives privileged expression in the liturgy of the Church:



Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended.When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.

Paragraph 1013. Death is the end of man's earthly pilgrimage, of the time of grace and mercy which God offers him so as to work out his earthly life in keeping with the divine plan, and to decide his ultimate destiny. When "the single course of our earthly life" is completed, we shall not return to other earthly lives: "It is appointed for men to die once." There is no "reincarnation" after death.
Paragraph 1014. The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death. In the ancient litany of the saints, for instance, she has us pray: "From a sudden and unforeseen death, deliver us, O Lord"; to ask the Mother of God to intercede for us "at the hour of our death" in the Hail Mary; and to entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death. (2676-2677)



Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out. Death would have no great terrors for you if you had a quiet conscience.... Then why not keep clear of sin instead of running away from death? If you aren't fit to face death today, it's very unlikely you will be tomorrow....

Praised are you, my Lord, for our sister bodily Death,from whom no living man can escape.Woe on those who will die in mortal sin!Blessed are they who will be found in your most holy will,for the second death will not harm them.


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