Thought for the Day – 10 September – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“Preparation for Death”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
CONSIDERATION V
The Uncertainty of the Hour of Death
“Be ye, therefore, ready also, for the Son of Man
cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
(St Luke xii: 40)
SECOND POINT
The Lord does not wish us to be lost, therefore, He never ceases to warn us to change our habit of life, bv threatening to punish us.
“If a man will not turn, He will whet His sword,”
(Ps vii: 13)’
“Behold, ” He says in another place, “how many because, they would not leave sinning, when they were least expecting it and were living in peace, thinking to live for many long years, have been surprised by death which has suddenly come upon them.”
“For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them. ” (i Thess v: 3).
Likewise He says:
“Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. ” (St Luke xiii: 3).
Why, therefore, does He give us so many warnings before He sends the punishment, if He does not wish that we should amend our lives and so avoid dying an unhappy death?
St Augustine well observes that he who says to thee:
“Take care,” wishes thee no ill.
It is, therefore, necessary to prepare our account before the day of reckoning may arrive. My Christian brother, if before this night arrives you should die and your eternal welfare should be decided, what do you think? Would your reckoning be in order, or would you not, indeed be rather willing to give anything to obtain from God, one year, one month, or at least one day more?!
And, wherefore, now that God does give you this time, do you not seek to make your conscience free from everything? Is it because you cannot think this day can be the last for you?
“Delay not to be converted to the Lord and defer it not, from day to day. For His wrath shall come on a sudden and in the time of vengeance, He will destroy thee.” (Ecclus v: 8, 9) .
If you wish to be saved, my brother, sin must be left behind, therefore, as a day will come when you must leave it, why do you not leave it now? inquires St Augustine. Perhaps you are expecting death but for those who are obstinate, death is not the time for pardon but for vengeance.
“In the time of vengeance He will destroy thee.”
When someone owes you a large sum of money, you immediately take the precaution to provide yourself with a written security, saying to yourself:
“Who knows what may happen?”
And why do you not use the same precaution concerning your immortal soul which is of much more importance than the large sum? Why do you not say of your soul:
“ Who knows what may happen?”
If you were to lose that money, you would not lose everything and even if in losing it, you should lose all your inheritance, still you would have the hope of regaining it.
But if in death, you should lose your soul, then indeed would you lose all and there would be no hope of ever again rescuing it.
You are so diligent in keeping an account of your money, lest by chance any should be lost. if a sudden death were to befall you and if death should come upon you unawares, while you are at enmity with God, what would become of your soul for all eternity?
Affections and Prayers
All, my Redeemer, Thou hast shed all Thy Blood. Thou hast given Thy Life to save my soul and I have so often lost it, hoping in Thy Mercy and, in this way, have I so often made use of Thy great Goodness, for what? to offend Thee more! For this, I deserved that Thou shouldst suddenly deprive me of life and then send me to everlasting punishment.
I have, as it were, been fighting with Thee but Thou hast fought, by showing Mercy towards me and I, by offending Thee; Thou by seeking me and I by flying from Thee; Thou by giving me time to implore pardon for all the offences committed against Thee and I, by using that time to add offence to offence. Gracious Lord, make me feel the great wrong I have done against Thee and make me feel it is my greatest duty to love Thee.
Ah, my Jesus, how couldst Thou love me so much, Thou who didst seek me so many times when I fought to drive Thee from myself? How couldst Thou show so many favours to one who has so often given Thee offence?
From all this I understand, how desirous Thou art that I should not be lost.
I repent with all my heart for having offended Thee,
O God of Infinite Goodness. Ah, receive this ungrateful sheep who returns repentant to Thy Feet, receive it and bind it to Thy shoulders, so that it may nevermore stray from Thee.
No, I will nevermore fly from Thee. I would love Thee, I would be Thine Own and if only I am Thine, I am content with every pain, for what greater pain can I feel, than to live without Thy grace, separated from Thee,Who art my God, Who hast created me and my God, Who has died for me?
Ah, hateful sins, what have you done? You have made me displease my dear Saviour, Who hast loved me so much.
Ah, my Jesus, as Thou hast died for me, even so, ought I to die for Thee. Thou didst die for love of me and I ought to die of grief for having so much displeased Thee.
I accept death when and in what manner it may please Thee to send it to me but until now I have not loved Thee, or I have not loved Thee enough; it is not thus that I would die. Oh grant me a little more time, so that I may indeed love Thee before I die. Therefore, change my heart, wound it, inflame it with Thy holy Love. Grant this, through that exceeding Love which made Thee die for me.
I love Thee with all my soul and l am indeed desirous to love Thee. Never let me lose Thee again. Give me holy perseverance and give me Thy most holy Love.
AnaStpaul 