An Old Italian Catholic
There was one old Italian Catholic priest in Japan, working as the housefather of a student dormitory of a university in Tokyo. He was liked by students, because he was extremely generous and kind to students.
One day, he called on students and said that he would leave Japan the next day since he got a cancer and was going to be hospitalized in his own country.
Then one student asked him if he had a fear for his death. The Catholic priest said that he had trained himself for these 60 years to prepare for death. He had been trying to build good images of Heaven in his mind. Now, Heaven was in his mind, so that he was not afraid of his death.
The next day, the old priest put on nice blue suits and flew back to Italy from Tokyo. A half year later, he died in a monastery in Italy.
And one student who lived in the dormitory under the supervise of the priest became a famous author.
However, Christianity is the teaching for people who live in this world. Christ Jesus never said to prepare for one's own death. But He said that rich men would fall into the hell and poor men would be welcomed in Heaven. And, Christ Jesus taught that if people lived according to the teaching of God, they would enter the kingdom of God in this world. He did not recommend people to live for 60 years under authority of the church, preparing themselves for death.
Nonetheless, it must be better to live while building one's own image of Heaven in the mind rather than building money and worldly status.
**** **** ****
Mar 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
Mar 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.