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Henrik Hagnell wrote:

Hi, guys —

It seems we are here on Earth in order to make a decision for or against God. This is why we're here.

Some say infants who die have it much better. They never had the opportunity to live here on Earth and be tempted. I am sure that they will be tempted after death. It seems like it is easier to be tempted here on Earth rather in the next life. We get more chances now than after death. Then we will only get one final chance. Infants who die do not seem to have it much better than us.

If it's true, then it would be great for a Catholic to die in the Confessional booth after confessing all their sins although I have heard Priests telling me that dying after receiving Communion at Mass can be a good thing.

  • What does the Church say?

Henrik

  { Can dying as an infant or dying after receiving one of the sacraments be the best way to go? }

Bob replied:

Henrik,

The important thing is to die in the state of grace. While those who die early would therefore not have had the opportunity to amass a great deal of wounds/debt from sin, likewise their opportunity to bring more glory to God is also diminished.

God receives glory from our lives when well lived. That is part of the reason we revere saints; they bring great glory to God therefore killing someone prematurely (and at anytime) is robbing God of the glory that could come from that person's life so if you die young you are not better off. You have less to bring to God in that respect, for all our victories will bring us from glory to glory.

There really isn't a formal church declaration on this matter but you can figure it out from a little reasoning.

Peace,

Bob Kirby

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