{"id":18341,"date":"2018-11-01T14:23:02","date_gmt":"2018-11-01T19:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jh.southloophvac.com\/?p=18341"},"modified":"2018-11-01T14:23:02","modified_gmt":"2018-11-01T19:23:02","slug":"memento-mori-remember-your-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/memento-mori-remember-your-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Memento Mori! (Remember your Death!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The concept in the title isn&#8217;t only\u00a0a Christian thing to do. It&#8217;s a human thing to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the<em> Phaedo<\/em>, Socrates famously encouraged reflection on your own personal mortality,&nbsp;and what kind of life you are living: just or unjust. For if life continues after death, and if perfect justice really exists, a &#8220;settling of accounts&#8221; will have to take place: ultimate justice in another world. It is obvious that justice does not exist in <em>this<\/em> world; people die &#8220;ahead&#8221; and &#8220;behind&#8221; all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What could be more important than to have a clean soul and to have paid your debts before you die? You only get one shot. Good old-fashioned &#8220;Catholic guilt,&#8221; has its place and purpose then, because guilt is real, like justice and mercy. But if you think God&#8217;s mercy means that he is not also just you&#8217;ve misunderstood how they relate. Mercy is precisely what God does not owe anyone, justice is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following song\/prayer is <em>traditionally <\/em>sung at Catholic Masses today.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-embed-aspect-4-3\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"mozart - dies irae\" width=\"1020\" height=\"765\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/j1C-GXQ1LdY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<table class=\"wp-block-table\"><tbody><tr><td>1<\/td><td>Dies ir\u00e6, dies illa<br>Solvet s\u00e6clum in favilla,<br>Teste David cum Sibylla.<\/td><td>Day of wrath and doom impending.<br>David&#8217;s word with Sibyl&#8217;s blending,<br>Heaven and earth in ashes ending.<\/td><td>The day of wrath, that day<br>will dissolve the world in ashes,<br><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David\">David<\/a>&nbsp;being witness along with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sibyl\">Sibyl<\/a>.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2<\/td><td>Quantus tremor est futurus,<br>Quando Judex est venturus,<br>Cuncta stricte discussurus!<\/td><td>Oh, what fear man&#8217;s bosom rendeth,<br>When from heaven the Judge descendeth,<br>On whose sentence all dependeth.<\/td><td>How great will be the quaking,<br>when the Judge will come,<br>investigating everything strictly.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3<\/td><td>Tuba mirum spargens sonum,<br>Per sepulchra regionum,<br>Coget omnes ante thronum.<\/td><td>Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;<br>Through earth&#8217;s sepulchres it ringeth;<br>All before the throne it bringeth.<\/td><td>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gabriel_(archangel)#Gabriel's_horn\">trumpet<\/a>, scattering a wondrous sound<br>through the sepulchres of the regions,<br>will summon all before the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Throne_of_God\">throne<\/a>.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4<\/td><td>Mors stupebit et natura,<br>Cum resurget creatura,<br>Judicanti responsura.<\/td><td>Death is struck, and nature quaking,<br>All creation is awaking,<br>To its Judge an answer making.<\/td><td>Death and nature will marvel,<br>when the creature will rise again,<br>to respond to the Judge.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5<\/td><td>Liber scriptus proferetur,<br>In quo totum continetur,<br>Unde mundus judicetur.<\/td><td>Lo, the book, exactly worded,<br>Wherein all hath been recorded,<br>Thence shall judgement be awarded.<\/td><td>The written&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Book_of_Life\">book<\/a>&nbsp;will be brought forth,<br>in which all is contained,<br>from which&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Last_Judgment\">the world shall be judged<\/a>.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6<\/td><td>Judex ergo cum sedebit,<br>Quidquid latet apparebit:<br>Nil inultum remanebit.<\/td><td>When the Judge his seat attaineth,<br>And each hidden deed arraigneth,<br>Nothing unavenged remaineth.<\/td><td>When therefore the Judge will sit,<br>whatever lies hidden will appear:<br>nothing will remain unpunished.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>7<\/td><td>Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?<br>Quem patronum rogaturus,<br>Cum vix justus sit securus?<\/td><td>What shall I, frail man, be pleading?<br>Who for me be interceding,<br>When the just are mercy needing?<\/td><td>What then will I, poor wretch [that I am], say?<br>Which patron will I entreat,<br>when [even] the just may [only] hardly be sure?<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>8<\/td><td>Rex tremend\u00e6 majestatis,<br>Qui salvandos salvas gratis,<br>Salva me, fons pietatis.<\/td><td>King of Majesty tremendous,<br>Who dost free salvation send us,<br>Fount of pity, then befriend us!<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christ_the_King\">King<\/a>&nbsp;of fearsome majesty,<br>Who freely savest those that are to be saved,<br>save me, O font of mercy.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>9<\/td><td>Recordare, Jesu pie,<br>Quod sum causa tu\u00e6 vi\u00e6:<br>Ne me perdas illa die.<\/td><td>Think, kind Jesu! \u2013 my salvation<br>Caused Thy wondrous Incarnation;<br>Leave me not to reprobation.<\/td><td>Remember, merciful Jesus,<br>that I am the cause of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Way_of_the_Cross\">Thy way<\/a>:<br>lest Thou lose me in that day.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10<\/td><td>Qu\u00e6rens me, sedisti lassus:<br>Redemisti Crucem passus:<br>Tantus labor non sit cassus.<\/td><td>Faint and weary, Thou hast sought me,<br>On the Cross of suffering bought me.<br>Shall such grace be vainly brought me?<\/td><td>Seeking me, Thou sattest tired:<br>Thou redeemedst [me], having suffered the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/True_Cross\">Cross<\/a>:<br>let not so much hardship be in vain.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11<\/td><td>Juste Judex ultionis,<br>Donum fac remissionis,<br>Ante diem rationis.<\/td><td>Righteous Judge, for sin&#8217;s pollution<br>Grant Thy gift of absolution,<br>Ere the day of retribution.<\/td><td>Just Judge of vengeance,<br>make a gift of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Absolution\">remission<\/a><br>before the day of reckoning.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>12<\/td><td>Ingemisco, tamquam reus:<br>Culpa rubet vultus meus:<br>Supplicanti parce, Deus.<\/td><td>Guilty, now I pour my moaning,<br>All my shame with anguish owning;<br>Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning!<\/td><td>I sigh, like the guilty one:<br>my face reddens in guilt:<br>Spare the supplicating one, O God.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>13<\/td><td>Qui Mariam absolvisti,<br>Et latronem exaudisti,<br>Mihi quoque spem dedisti.<\/td><td>Through the sinful woman shriven,<br>Through the dying thief forgiven,&nbsp;<br>Thou to me a hope hast given.<\/td><td>Thou who absolvedst&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mary_Magdalene\">Mary<\/a>,<br>and heardest&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Penitent_thief\">the robber<\/a>,<br>gavest hope to me, too.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>14<\/td><td>Preces me\u00e6 non sunt dign\u00e6;<br>Sed tu bonus fac benigne,<br>Ne perenni cremer igne.<\/td><td>Worthless are my prayers and sighing,<br>Yet, good Lord, in grace complying,<br>Rescue me from fires undying.<\/td><td>My prayers are not worthy:<br>but do Thou, [who art] good, graciously grant<br>that I not&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christian_views_on_hell\">be burned up by the everlasting fire<\/a>.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>15<\/td><td>Inter oves locum pr\u00e6sta.<br>Et ab h\u00e6dis me sequestra,<br>Statuens in parte dextra.<\/td><td>With Thy sheep a place provide me,<br>From the goats afar divide me,&nbsp;<br>To Thy right hand do Thou guide me.<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Sheep_and_the_Goats\">Grant me a place among the sheep<\/a>,<br>and take me out from among the goats,<br>setting me on the right side.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>16<\/td><td>Confutatis maledictis,<br>Flammis acribus addictis,<br>Voca me cum benedictis.<\/td><td>When the wicked are confounded,<br>Doomed to flames of woe unbounded,<br>Call me with Thy&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Saint\">saints<\/a>&nbsp;surrounded.<\/td><td>Once the cursed have been silenced,<br>sentenced to acrid flames:<br>Call Thou me with the blessed.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>17<\/td><td>Oro supplex et acclinis,<br>Cor contritum quasi cinis,<br>Gere curam mei finis.<\/td><td>Low I kneel, with heart&#8217;s submission,<br>See, like ashes, my contrition,<br>Help me in my last condition.<\/td><td>[Humbly] kneeling and bowed I pray,<br>[my] heart crushed as ashes:<br>take care of my end.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>18<\/td><td>Lacrimosa dies illa,<br>Qua resurget ex favilla,<br>Judicandus homo reus.<br>Huic ergo parce, Deus:<\/td><td>Ah! that day of tears and mourning,<br>From the dust of earth returning<br>Man for judgement must prepare him,<br>Spare, O God, in mercy spare him.<\/td><td>Tearful [will be] that day,<br>on which from the glowing embers will arise<br>the guilty man who is to be judged.<br>Then spare him, O God.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>19<\/td><td>Pie Jesu Domine,<br>Dona eis requiem. Amen.<\/td><td>Lord, all-pitying, Jesus blest,<br>Grant them Thine eternal rest. Amen.<\/td><td>Merciful Lord Jesus,<br>grant them rest. Amen<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n<p>Feel free to leave a comment below, especially on the relationship between justice and mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Happy Halloween!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"735\" src=\"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/a1a83cbc1c2f491280ae0bfd49731143.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/a1a83cbc1c2f491280ae0bfd49731143.jpg 540w, https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/a1a83cbc1c2f491280ae0bfd49731143-220x300.jpg 220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The concept in the title isn&#8217;t only\u00a0a Christian thing to do. It&#8217;s a human thing to do. In the Phaedo, Socrates famously encouraged reflection on your own personal mortality,&nbsp;and what kind of life you are living: just or unjust. For if life continues after death, and if perfect justice really exists, a &#8220;settling of accounts&#8221; [&#8230;]\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18344,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[26],"class_list":["post-18341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philosophy","tag-catholicism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/MemlingJudgmentCentre.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18341"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18341\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonhaines.com\/philosophy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}