10 Saint Quotes to Strengthen Your Heart During End-of-Life Month

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Throughout November, the Church reflects on the mystery we will all one day face: the passage from this life to our eternal home in Heaven. Locally, in the Archdiocese of Denver, we observe End-of-Life Month, inviting the faithful to reflect on the hope of the Resurrection, to accompany loved ones with dignity, and to learn from the wisdom of the ministries uniting to form the newly established Catholic End-of-Life Network. 

Comprising the Catholic Foundation, Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services of Colorado, Emmaus Catholic Hospice and Knights of Columbus, as well as Respect Life Denver and St. Raphael Counseling, both ministries of Catholic Charities, the network provides Colorado Catholics with resources for preparing and planning for the end of life. This month is not about fear but about faith, trust and the peace that comes with knowing that our lives are held in the hands of a God who does not abandon us.

The saints, who walked the road of life before us, offer wisdom when it comes to preparing for our journey to eternal life. Here are ten quotes from the saints to help you contemplate the mystery of life’s final chapter with clarity, peace and trust in God’s promise. 

“My Lord, it is time to move on. Well then, may your will be done. O my Lord and my Spouse, the hour that I have longed for has come. It is time for us to meet one another.” St. Theresa of Avila

“Live so as to not fear death. For those who lived well in the world, death is not frightening but sweet and precious.” St. Rose of Viterbo

“The more we are afflicted in this world, the greater is our assurance in the next; the more sorrow in the present, the greater will be our joy in the future. St. Isidore of Seville 

“Christ’s martyrs feared neither death nor pain. He triumphed in them who lived in them; and they, who lived not for themselves but for him, found in death itself the way to life.” St. Augustine of Hippo 

“For I trust, in whatever manner I die, that I shall not be deprived of the mercy of my God, without which my eternal ruin would be inevitable, whether I die an unprepared death, or whether I have long anticipated my end.” St. Gertrude

“The world is thy ship, not thy home.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux

“It is a loving act to show sadness when our dear ones are torn from us, but it is a holy act to be joyful through hope and trust in the promises of God.” St. Paulinus of Nola 

“We must often draw the comparison between time and eternity. This is the remedy of all of our troubles. How small will the present moment appear when we enter that great ocean.” St. Elizabeth Ann Seton 

“If you embrace all things in this life as coming from hands of God, and even embrace death to fulfill his holy will, assuredly you will die a saint.” St. Alphonsus Liguori

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received, only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.” St. Francis of Assisi