Thought for the Day – 16 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Speak to God of Heaven
Excerpt from Chapter Three:VII
“It is said that souls who, in this life, have but little longing for Heaven are punished in Purgatory with a peculiar pain, called the pain of languor.
This surely is only just because, to have but little longing for Heaven is to set little value on the happiness of that eternal Kingdom which our Lord opened to us, by His Death.
Remember then, frequently to think of, and long for Heaven. Say to God that your life seems an endless span, so great is your desire to go to Him, to see Him face-to-face and, to love Him.
Long to be set free from your exile, from this world of sin, from the danger of losing Divine Grace in order that you may arrive at that land of love where your heart will be given wholly to God.
Say to Him, over and over again, Lord, as long as I live on this earth, I am in danger of forsaking Thee and of losing Thy Love. When shall I leave this life, wherein I am forever offending Thee? When shall I come to Thee, to love Thee with all my soul and unite myself to Thee, without any danger of losing Thee again?
St Teresa was ever sighing for Heaven in this manner. She used to rejoice when she heard the clock strike because, another hour of life and of the danger of losing God, had passed. She so earnestly desired to die, in order that she might see God, she was dying with the desire to die. This was the subject of the loving poem which she composed: ‘I Die because I Do Not Die‘.”
AnaStpaul 