August 31

The Two Sentences

Preparation. - After meditating on the death of the sinner and on that of the just man, we shall consider the sentences awaiting each of them at the end of the world, first, that of the sinner, and secondly, that of the just man. We shall then resolve to live without ceasing in the presence of the supreme Judge, so as to become irreproachable in His sight, and to deserve one day the sentence of the elect: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom” (Mat. 25. 34).

I. The Sinners’ Sentence Of Condemnation

What a despair will seize the reprobate, when the Judge of the living and of the dead will utter against them these formidable words: “Depart from Me, ye accursed” (Mat. 25. 41). Then they will realize beyond all doubt, that they are forever banished from the company of the elect. Being rejected by Him who is the source of all good, they have nothing more to hope. “He put on cursing like a garment; and it went in like water into his entrails and like oil in his bones” (Ps. 108. 18). “Depart from Me,” will the supreme Judge say to them; “depart from Me, the sole principle of happiness.” “But, Lord, whither shall we go?” “Into everlasting fire” (Mat. 25. 41), “into the fire containing all the evils of body and soul; into the fire, wherein are concentrated the most exquisite torments, the most numerous, uninterrupted and varied sufferings. I had created you for the delights of heaven, but your sins have excluded you therefrom; your sins are the sole cause of your damnation. Depart, then, from Me, ye accursed, into the fire that shall never be quenched.”

Scarcely shall that terrible sentence have been pronounced, when the ground will open and the immense abyss of hell will swallow up the reprobate, wherein kings, princes, nobles and the refined will be mingled with the dregs of mankind, and confounded with the most infamous criminals. Therein will be seen priests and religious, who have been untrue to their vows and duties, and also persons professedly pious. The neglect to mortify some passion, at first apparently faultless, led them to this misfortune without remedy.

O Jesus, be merciful unto me whilst it is yet time, for then it shall be too late. I will henceforth bewail my shortcomings and reform my conduct. Wherefore, deign, first, to give me the courage to shun such and such an occasion, such and such a danger, to root out of my heart that certain affection, that defect, which are the sources of my sloth in Thy service; secondly, help me to devote myself to mental prayer, patiently to bear my trials and to persevere in Thy love; and thirdly, cause the terrible sentence of the impenitent to resound unceasingly in my ears, and enable me to avoid it at any cost.

II. The Favorable Sentence Of The Just

How great will be the joy of the elect when they will hear this sweet invitation from the lips of Jesus Christ: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mat. 25. 34). “Come” from exile to your true country, from destitution to abundance, from sorrows to delights, from combats to victory, from labor to rest. O how greatly shall we then be rewarded for having practiced self-denial, interior recollection, silence and prayer for our sanctification.

“Come, ye blessed of My Father.” O delightful utterance of a God! And Jesus says this with truly divine kindness. He considers the just as His tenderly cherished brethren, and invites them not only to enter heaven, but to possess forever, as sovereigns, the kingdom wherein all beauty and grandeur are found. How glorious, then, to be proclaimed, in presence of the whole universe, worthy of heaven! Here below the judgements of men are frequently influenced by wealth and favor. With our Redeemer, merit alone acquired by holiness of life will have any weight. If, then, He calls the elect the “blessed of His Father,” it is because they caused God to reign in their hearts by governing their passions.

Therefore it is only by subduing our passions that we shall deserve the same reward. God cannot reign over a soul enslaved by its self-will and evil propensities. It behooves us, then, to conquer ourselves, as the saints did, and to lead a fervent life. If we cannot imitate their great austerities, let us at least patiently put up with a disagreeable word, a slight pain, a contradiction, a disappointment, a privation, in order to please Jesus Christ. Let us shake off our sloth, our indolence, so as to practice the virtues. We should refuse no sacrifice, when there is question of deserving the blissful sentence that will secure our eternal salvation.

O my Redeemer, unceasingly recall to my mind the punishments awaiting sinners and the rewards reserved for the just, so that, frightened by the former and encouraged by the latter, I may overcome myself and all temptations. Under Thy holy Mother’s protection I am resolved, first, often to recall the final judgment I shall have one day to undergo, and secondly, to perform all my actions in Thy sight and with the intention of appeasing and pleasing Thee.

Prayer to Jesus Crucified:

O Jesus, I acknowledge in Thy sacred Person, nailed to the gibbet of Calvary, the great God who has created and governs the universe. Thou wilt come one day on the clouds of heaven to judge the living and the dead. Thou wilt not then be the meek, helpless Lamb, but the formidable Lion of Juda. How shall I then be able to bear Thy irritated looks? How shall I hear without shuddering the terrible sentence of the reprobate? Inspire me with confidence in Thy infinite mercy, and through the intercession of the Mother of sorrows, engrave Thy sacred wounds in my heart, and enable me daily to meditate on Thy Passion and the examples of virtue Thou givest me therein. Penetrate me especially with the most lively and sincere repentance until my last breath. Amen.

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August 30

The Sinner And The Just Man At Death

Preparation. - We shall make a special preparation tomorrow for a good death. Wherefore we shall consider, first, the feelings of the sinner, and secondly, those of the just at their last hour. And then we shall represent to ourselves the last moments of an impenitent sinner, like Herod, and those of a saint, like John Baptist, and shall then think on this saying: “As life is, so is death.” “What things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap” (Gal. 6. 8).

I. Feelings Of The Sinner At Death

Behold, says St. Alphonsus, the poor worldling a prey to his last illness! He is alas! about to die. His perspiration is icy fold, his breathing difficult, and he swoons away frequently. But the worst is that, though facing death, instead of thinking on the account he will have to render to God, he seems to occupy himself only with physicians and remedies. He feels unable to think of his soul, his God, his eternity; he is too weak, to fatigued for this.

But the unfortunate man begins to suspect the danger he is in. He beholds his family disturbed and uneasy, the physician coming often to see him, consulting with others, and powerful remedies multiplied. Sadness and despondency seize upon him; tormented with fears, anxiety and remorse, he begins to say to himself: “Alas! is not perhaps the end of my days approaching?”

And how great his bitterness when he realizes that his death is at hand! Dark despair soon fills the soul of this impenitent sinner. His iniquities rise up before him as horrible monsters about to devour him. He beholds the disorders of his life, the graces he abused: “How unfortunate I have been not to have profited by the numerous occasions I had of putting my conscience in order! Now that death is near, it is too late for me to be converted!” This unfortunate sinner passes out of this world in these sad dispositions. How deplorable his end! It teaches us to make our life more serious, less dissipated, and fully attentive to the all-important affair of our salvation. For we now not whether we shall see tomorrow, or even the next hour.

O Jesus, I expect from Thee the grace of being recollected and of often meditating on my last end, and especially on death, which continually threatens to drag me to Thy tribunal to hear the sentence that will decide my eternal lot. Grant me the spirit of penance and compunction, the courage to mortify my senses and inclinations, so that I may die to myself and live constantly with Thee by means of unceasing prayer.

II. Feelings Of The Just Man At Death

The dying are usually disturbed by the sins they did not do penance for. But the just man has led a life of innocence, or, at least, he has expiated his faults by a fervent life, by a life spent in the fear of God, in the practice of piety and of his duties. His conscience gives a good testimony of him, and the sweet assurance of his being in the grace of God. O how sweet is it then for him who spent his life denying and mortifying himself, in practicing obedience, mental prayer and charity! How consoling for him who always lived in God’s friendship and laid up a treasure for himself in heaven!

The firm hope of being saved completes the happiness of the dying just man. He seems to hear a secret voice saying to him: “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; their sufferings, combats and anguish are about to end, and they will be admitted to endless bliss.” But on what does he ground his confidence? On his works, virtues or merits? By no means; but solely on the mercy of Him, whose loving kindness he knows through the graces he received from Him. He rests it also on the sufferings of the Redeemer, whose precious blood, after regenerating him in baptism, so often purified and strengthened him in Penance and the Holy Eucharist. He finally relies on the intercession of her who is the Mother of his soul, the Mediatress of salvation, from whom he has received so many favors.

Let us adopt these sentiments, and therefore let us live each day, as if it were our last. A young gentlemen having asked of St. Angela, the foundress of the Ursulines, for a means to sanctify himself in the world, received this answer: “Do now and during your whole life what you would wish, at the hour of your death, to have done.” These words, spoken in a convincing tone, so struck the young man, that he wrote them down, read them every morning, and put them into practice, and thus became a great servant of God.

Let us, like him, in the first place, so prepare ourselves every evening, as if we were that very night to appear before the tribunal of God; and secondly, let us in the morning propose to spend the day with the fervor of one who expects to die that very moment. O my God, give me the grace to practice both of these resolution.

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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.

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June 30

The Fear And The Desire Of Death

Preparation. - That we may prepare for our last journey, we shall consider the motives that induce us, first, to fear, and secondly, to desire death. Let us rest assured that, if we have a horror of the smallest faults, we shall not dread death, and if we trust in Jesus, we shall desire it, in the hope of being happy with Him. “Having the desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ” (Phil. 1. 23).

I. Motives For Fearing Death.

Sin is so horrible an evil, so opposed to the holiness of my Judge, that the thought of being found guilty makes me tremble to appear before Him. Had I during my life committed only one venial fault, if I realize its malice, I shall have one day to render to God. But, alas! What a multitude of faults frighten me at their very remembrance! From my childhood, during my boyhood and youth, I have provoked the wrath of God. And every day I still grieve the Holy Ghost by my sloth, my unfaithfulness, and yet I must die, for “it is appointed” (Hebr. 9. 27).

And if only I had already appeased my Judge and paid to His justice the debt of my sins! When I read the lives of so many innocent saints, who bewailed all their life with instruments of penance their smallest imperfections, I am filled with confusion. If I go down into the abysses where the guilty are punished, and consider how terribly one mortal sin is punished, and how rigorously are punished the faults we consider as light, I ask myself in a fright: “What penances have I performed to escape such severity?” O Jesus, I seek in vain in my life … and yet the hour of my death is perhaps very near, and I shall soon be summoned to Thy tribunal. “After this judgment” (Hebr. 9. 27).

What aggravates my terror, is that I must leave this world, even if I have rendered the death of my God in vain for me. Jesus gave His blood and His life, He delivered Himself up to the most fearful torments for my salvation. Every day on our altars He renews His sacrifice and imparts to us its fruits. How have I corresponded with such mercies? Does not the bloody and the mystical death of a God, instead of justifying me, condemn me, on account of my abuse of the graces received?

O Jesus, how many defects and unmortified passions accuse me to Thee, my Judge! I ought to excel in every virtue, and they are scarcely incipient in my soul! … O my Redeemer, I implore Thy clemency; have mercy on me; draw me to Thee by Thy grace before death comes to take me away.

II. Motives For Desiring Death.

In this life we cannot wholly keep from faults and imperfections. When we die we cease offending God. This thought consoled the Ven. Father Vincent Caraffa at this death. If at times the thought of death makes me tremble, I say to myself with St. Ambrose: “How can I wish to live here below, where I daily increase my accountability to God? Death is the tomb of my vices. Let us therefore desire to die, so as to be free from their shameful slavery.”

And is not death also a means of paying my debts to God? When chastising my body and reducing it to slavery, I strive to satisfy the divine justice, without, however, clearly knowing the value of my sacrifice. But if I gave my life to God, I am certain, as Christ says (John 15. 13), that I give the Lord the best proof of my love, for death accepted for God is a baptism of penance, a martyrdom more meritorious than any austerities. Hence, far from dreading death, I long for it, so that I may thereby more easily pay to my Judge the enormous debt of my sins.

And then shall I not, by my death, become conformed to Jesus crucified? He who created and redeemed me, is also my Model; He submitted to death. Could I hesitate submitting to it also in my turn? The thrice holy God immolated Himself for my sins; and should I, the real guilty one, refuse to sacrifice myself with Him? From His very Incarnation He ardently desired to be baptized in His blood; and should not I, regenerated by His blood, desire to die? I will yield up my life, because Jesus did not refuse His life to me; I wish to leave this world, because my Redeemer returned to heaven.

O my amiable Saviour, when will the welcome hour arrive, when I shall be able to contemplate Thee in the heavenly Jerusalem? Through Thy Blessed Mother's intercession, enable me to be so disengaged from myself and the world, that I may be always ready to appear before Thee, as Thou desirest: “Be ye (always) prepared” (Mat. 24. 44).

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