Memento Mori? Why You Should Be Mindful of Your Mortality.

     Death. It's the big "D-word" that can make anyone uncomfortable. Even though we are surrounded by death (through mass shootings, wars, etc), it can be easy to fall into the mindset of trying to avoid thinking about our own eventual deaths. While some find solace in finding distraction from the uncomfortable truth of mortality, I believe it is important to frequently reflect on the fact that your days are numbered.

     "Memento mori" is a popular Latin phrase which basically means "Remember that you will die." There is an established Christian tradition of reflecting on death, and this can especially be seen in medieval art featuring skulls.  To those accustomed to avoiding thinking about death, this concept may come across as morbid or dark. To put it bluntly, I personally believe it's foolish to try to escape the reality of death. Since I've started to adopt a "memento mori mindset," I have found that frequently reflecting on death is not a negative experience, but has actually borne good fruit in my life. While it may be uncomfortable to come to terms with our mortality, here are four reasons why I believe we should take time to remember our deaths.

1. Remembering death helps one to live a better life.

     I firmly believe that by remembering that our days are numbered, we can become empowered to make the most of them! Instead of letting our lives slip by and wasting the gift of life that we've been given, we can choose to live in the moment and embrace life's opportunities. For instance, when we remember death we can choose to spend more time with our loved ones while we have the chance. This will save us from regrets such as "I wish I spent more time with so and so" that we can face when those we love die. From a Christian perspective, remembering that we are mortal can serve as a push to start living a more virtuous life and deepening our relationship with God. I believe our purpose in life is to become a saint, and that can't be accomplished unless we get to work!  

2. Remembering death can reduce anxiety about death.

     I don't know about you, but I used to be pretty thanatophobic. Thinking about my death would lead to anxiety about it! However, since I've started the habit of reflecting on my death, I've found that I have less fear regarding my eventual death. While I may not be able to control the circumstances and means of my death, as a person of faith I can choose to trust in God's timing for when He will call me home, and that He will provide the means for a good death (the Sacraments, etc). Praying for the grace of a good death and trusting that God will hear our prayer (see Matthew 7:7-11) can bring us freedom from fear and worry about dying. However, in order to pray for the grace of a good death, we have to remember that we will die. In order to remember that we will die, we have to reflect on death! 

3. Remembering death helps one to live in a state of grace. 

     Catholics believe it is important and necessary to live in a state of grace (which basically means living free from mortal sin and in a state of "sanctifying grace" - check out this link for more information on the Catholic view of grace and sin). By remembering my death and judgement, I am reminded of the fact that my actions can have eternal consequences. When temptation comes, it's helpful to remember the fact that sin just isn't worth it! Sin is like poisoned honey - it may feel good in the short term, but will hurt us in the long term. Remembering my death helps me to avoid sin and to strive to live a life of holiness. 

4. Remembering death reminds one of life's end goal. 

     From a religious perspective, I believe having a "memento mori mindset" goes beyond merely focusing on avoiding sin. As a Catholic, remembering my death also serves as a reminder that I am meant for more than this world. A popular quote which is attributed to St. Therese of Lisieux is "The world's thy ship, and not thy home." I believe this is a truth which is important to keep in mind. We were created to live with our Creator! Death is not the end of our existence, but a transition. When we choose to look beyond death as a mere ending and choose to see it as a new beginning, death can be transformed from something dreadful into something that can bring joy to those who are well prepared for it. As St. Rose of Viterbo once said, "Live so as not to fear death. For those who live well in the world, death is not frightening but sweet and precious." 

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  If you don't often think about your death, I hope this blog post has been enlightening. If there's one thing I'd like for you to take away from this article, it's that remembering death isn't an end in itself, but a means to an end. As the saying goes, memento mori!