When Weird Thoughts Bother You, Invoke Your Guardian Angel

The other day, I had a recurring thought that kept buzzing around me:

"You're going to die today."

If I were superstitious, that might have bothered me. We are all going to die, so in many ways it was a true thought. What is "today" in God's time? I'm definitely going to die some day.

At any rate, I kept swatting at the thought or ignoring it. And here I am several days later. I didn't die...not yet.

One day, however, the thought will be true. It will be in God's time and I likely won't hear a little voice telling me about it. I may have a warning, like a terminal illness, announcing that the end is near. That would be a blessing in many ways, because it allows serious preparation and scheduling of the Last Sacraments. 

I remembered yesterday during my thought-batting practice, that I have St. Robert Bellarmine's treatise on the art of dying well. His feast day was just a few days ago. So perhaps that nagging, buzzing thought was an invitation to read the saint's prescription for dying well. 

Pulling it down from the bookshelf, I read Chapter one. His first precept is, "He who desires to die well, must live well." He tells the reader what he means by that: Foster a life of virtue and take advantage of the spiritual aids offered by the sacraments. I've only just begun reading and look forward to delving more deeply into his thoughts on death and dying. It will likely be more useful than all the psychologists' notions.

St. Robert lived in a time of great turmoil during the Protestant revolution. Our time is arguably even worse since we are experiencing a revolution highlighted by a return to paganism with human sacrifice on a scale unprecedented in history.

At any rate, if you are troubled by recurring negative or tempting thought, a good strategy is to turn to your guardian angel for help. And we also have special angels and patrons who can be particular guides as we deal with challenges. If you're ill, St. Raphael is a go to guide. If you're suffering, Padre Pio loved to visit his spiritual children and will surely be happy to intercede for you. You can become one of his spiritual children whom he promised to help after his own death.

And, of course, Our Lady is the perfect mother to comfort and bless whoever goes to her for help. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

May God bless you this day and every day and bring you His peace.