Christ dealt man’s destroyer... death,
a fatal blow.

 
St. Melito of Sardis, 2nd century

Be praised good Lord, for sister Death,
who welcomes us in loving embrace.

 
St. Francis of Assisi, 13th century

If we were to keep the imminence of our death in mind,
we would never be overcome by sin;
lust would not reign over us,
we would never harbor anger against another,
we would forgive every person who offended us.

 
St. Athanasius, 4th century

After death,
the day of man is ended and the day of Christ begins.

 
St. Thomas Aquinas, 13th century

Blessed be Jesus Christ who became man,
and by means of the wood of the cross,
made all mankind leap back into Paradise.

 
St. Ephrem, 4th century

In saying this,
Christ who is the hope of all believers
refers to the departed as those who are asleep.
By no means does he regard them as dead.

 
St. Braulio, 7th century

What is there to fear in death? It means no more and no less
than an end of our testing period here on earth.
It is a return, a going home to God our Father, who created us.

 
Servant of God, Fr. Walter Ciszek, 20th century

Christ alone is free among the dead.
We have been truly set free from subjection to sin
because we are united to him who is truly free.

 
St. Gregory the Great, 6th century