Thought for the Day – 27 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 XI
The Value of Time
“Redeeming the time because the days are evil.”
(Eph v: 16)
FIRST POINT:
WE are told in Holy Scripture to be careful of time which is the most precious thing and the greatest gift, God bestows upon living man.
The Pagans even understood the value of time.
Seneca observed that “the value of time is priceless.”
But the Saints have much better understood it.
St Bernardine of Sienna says: “one single moment of time is of very great importance because, at any one moment, a man may, by one act of contrition or of love, gains the Divine grace and eternal glory.
Time is a treasure which can be found in this life alone; it is to be found neither in Heaven nor in hell. This is the lamentation of the lost in hell,”
Oh, that an hour were given.
They would give anything for one hour in which they might be able to remedy their ruin but this hour they will never have. In Heaven there are no tears but if the blessed could weep, this would be a cause for lamentation that they had lost any time during this life in which they might have acquired greater glory, for such time they now can never have.
And you, my brother, how are you spending the time? And for what reason do you put off until tomorrow that which you can do today?
Remember, that the time which is already past away, is no longer yours; the future is not in your power, the present time alone you have for doing good.
St Bernard warns us, saying: “Wherefore do you presume upon the future, o miserable one, as if the Father had put the times in thy power.”
And St Augustine asks: “Do you count upon a day, who cannot count upon an hour!? How can thou promise thyself the day of tomorrow, if thou knowest not whether one more hour of life will be thine?”
St Teresa thus concludes and says: “If thou art not ready to die today, thou ought to fear, lest thou should die an unhappy death!”
Affections and Prayers
O my God, I thank Thee for the time Thou art giving me to atone, as far as I am able, for .the sins of my past life.
If at this moment Thou shouldst cause me to die, one of my greatest
griefs would be to think of the time I have lost.
Ah, my Lord, Thou didst give me the time to spend in loving Thee and I have spent it by offending Thee.
I deserved to be sent to hell from the first moment I turned away from Thee but Thou hast called me to repentance and Thou hast pardoned me.
I promised never more to offend Thee but since then, how many times have I not again offended Thee and Thou hast again pardoned me? Forever blessed be Thy Mercy!
If it were not Infinite, how could it thus have borne with me? Who else would have shown such patience towards me as Thou hast?
How much I grieve for having offended a God so good!
My dear Saviour, the patience alone Thou hast shown towards me ought to have inspired me with love for Thee. Ah, nevermore allow me to be ungrateful to the love Thou hast borne for me.
Separate me from all things and draw me wholly to Thy Love.
No, my God, I will no longer waste that time which Thou hast
given me to atone for the evil I have done I would spend it all
in serving and loving Thee.
Give me strength, give me holy perseverance. I love Thee, O Thou Infinite Goodness and I hope to love Thee in eternity.
AnaStpaul 
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