CrossofashesThe Ash Wednesday liturgy has the very memorable line, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (BCP, p.265). This stark sentence is said while the priest imposes ashes. The liturgy makes the strong point that none of us will live forever: we all die. Often a person thinks of a life-ending situation and says, “If I were to die …”, but the correct wording is, “When I die, …”. Lent, a time of preparation for Easter, is a time to prepare for one’s death. This doesn’t mean only spiritual preparation but also preparation with regard to practical, material concerns.

There are many things which a responsible person ought to do to prepare for death. One item, necessary for all of us, is to make a will. Another is to document your wishes with regard to your funeral or memorial service. One should also have a living will and/or power of attorney in case of a serious illness or injury which doesn’t lead immediately to death. There are many other things one should deal with in preparation for death. Two web pages which provide brief but useful guides are One Day, You’re Going to Die. Here’s How to Prepare for It and You Don’t Have to Spend a Ton on a Funeral — Here’s Why. There is a lot of information on the web pertaining to planning of funerals, writing wills, preparing a power of attorney, and other end-of-life concerns. These two web pages will help you get started and you can use a search engine to find additional information on any of the action items.

Use the time of Lent to prepare for your death; dealing with these issues while you live will keep your loved ones from having to deal with them in their time of grief. It’s the responsible thing to do.