July 29
How To Profit By The Retreat
Preparation. - An excellent means of deriving profit from the retreat is to prepare ourselves for death whilst making it. We shall then consider, first, the motives we have for being always prepared for death, and secondly, how we may every month make the exercise of a good death. As our spiritual nosegay let us choose this solemn injunction of our divine Saviour: “At what hour you think not, the Son of man will come” (Luke 12. 40).
I. Motives For Being Always Prepared To Die
Let us on the eve or on the morning of our monthly retreat consider the following points: It behooves us to be always prepared to die, for, first, our last breath is of the utmost importance, since it will decide our eternal lot, that is, whether we shall be forever happy, or forever unhappy; secondly, the hour of our death is uncertain; we know not whether we shall die in a few years, in a few months, or in a few days, or whether we shall be alive in the next hour; and thirdly, we know not how death will take us out of this world, whether after a long sickness, during which we shall have time to settle our accounts with God, or suddenly, perhaps at the very moment, when we least think of our salvation.
From this follows necessarily the conclusion that we should daily prepare to appear before God. Moreover, our Saviour enjoins on us to be always prepared. In fact, as the Holy Ghost says (1 Thess. 5. 2), death will take us by surprise, as the thief chooses the night and the most favorable moment to avoid detection. “At what hour you think not the Son of man will come.”
“O Christian,” exclaims St. Alphonsus, “if before this coming night you were to die, and the all-important affair of your eternal lot were decided, would you now find your conscience in order? Or rather, what would you not give to obtain from God sufficient time to prepare yourself to die well? Since He grants you this day the time to do so, profit by it; for perhaps it is the last day of life that will be granted to you.” Is it not also perhaps your last warning?
O my God, I have persistently struggled with Thee; as much as I have been obstinate in offending Thee, so much the more hast Thou shown me mercy. I accept death as an expiation of my sins. I have hitherto lived in tepidity and have not loved Thee. Deign to leave me some time longer on earth, for I am determined to amend, to repair the past by an irreproachable conduct. Change my heart, and inflame it with Thy holy love. Enable me to meditate, watch and pray without ceasing, so that when my last hour comes, I may not be taken by surprise. “Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is” (Mark 13. 33).
II. A Monthly Exercise Of A Good Death
The day of the monthly retreat is the most appropriate for this exercise. Let us in the morning imagine we have received from heaven the certain notice of our death on the succeeding night, and excite ourselves to spend the whole day in the greatest fervor. And how shall we make our meditation? At the feet of Jesus dying, assuming His dispositions, His generosity in forgiving, His self-surrender to God, His spirit of prayer, resignation, submission and sacrifice. Let us arouse within us a most lively contrition at the remembrance of our sins, with the resolution of going to confession during the day, as if it were for the last time. Let us hear Mass, and receive holy Communion as our Viaticum with the same intention and the utmost fervor.
As to our confession, which is so important, let us make it with the deepest sorrow for our sins and the most sincere resolution of giving ourselves to God. Let us strive to do this so well, that it would exempt us from purgatory, were we to die immediately after. How carefully and fervently should we not during the day perform our other spiritual exercises, such a the rosary, the Way of the Cross, spiritual reading, examination of conscience, visit to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin. We should perform all these exercises as is becoming a soul about to leave this world and appear before the divine tribunal. Let us, moreover, sanctify by faith our meals, our rest, our occupations, our conversation with our spiritual director, so as to purify our heart, keep recollected and unite ourselves intimately with God.
Finally, when the evening has come, let us imagine we are receiving the sacrament of extreme unction; let us follow its ceremonies, reflect on its words, and accompany them with sentiments of repentance. Then let us ask ourselves what degree of virtue we would like to have reached, if at the very moment we were about to be summoned before the judgement-seat of Christ, to receive His final sentence, which is to settle our lot for eternity. Let us then resolve henceforth to aspire to the perfection we desire; and, representing to ourselves our deathbed, let us attentively read the ordinary acts of the preparation for death. On the following day, at our awakening, let us thank God for giving us another day to carry out our good resolutions, and set ourselves to work, so that we may be able to give an account conformable to our promises.
O my God, were I every month to dispose myself in this wise for death, how watchfully and faithfully I would perform all my duties! Often remind me of my last hour, and give me the grace to prepare for it daily, and even at every moment.
