Franbern: Surely, if the afterlife is such a wonderful place, prayers should be said for him to get there as soon as possible.
And that's more or less what the sisters at the convent where my aunt was a nun did when one of their own was dying - and are probably doing for the Pope now. I doubt whether they're actively praying for his death - that' feels like a rather facetious thought, to be honest (even for an old atheist like me) - but they do feel happiness because it's the culmination of a lifetime of faith, hope and belief.
When my aunt's best friend passed away, it was clearly a time of rejoicing for her, as she truly believed she had gone to a better place and a rewarding afterlife.
If one doesn't have that belief, then it's probably all too easy to mock, but that's how it works for believers and, in a sense, it's logical. That doesn't mean it's not bittersweet for the ones left behind, only that they're more happy for their sister than sad for themselves.
