Wisdom from a Catholic monk
Entering a monastery is the first step toward death. Every day, Dom David reflects on his last hour: ‘When I am face to face with the Grim Reaper, I might not have the courage to look at him. But I do not see him as a threat. Death is a passage toward Christ. I hope that the Son of God will come to take me by the hand. There is a Hindu allegory about the last moments that I particularly like. It distinguishes young monkeys from kittens. The latter wait without doing anything for their mother to take them in her mouth, while the little monkeys cling to their mother in order to go from branch to branch . . . At the hour of death, the monk would like to be a kitten carried in the mouth of Christ.’
from Nicolas Diat’s book, A Time to Die: Monks on the Threshold of Eternal Life
SHARE THE WISDOM
If you’re having trouble seeing the buttons, then please refresh this page!
TRUST IN HIS MERCY
Behind monastery walls, men of God spend their lives preparing for the passage of death. Best-selling French author Nicolas Diat set out to find what their deaths can reveal about the greatest mystery faced by everyone—the end of life. Through extraordinary interviews, he learned that these monks have the same fears, torments, and sorrows as everyone else. What is exemplary about them is their humility and simplicity.
Sign up for our email list to receive this wisdom in your inbox each morning along with exclusive discounts on the products we feature.