Thought for the Day – 21 April – During this Season of Alleluias and Joy, we will consider Fr von Cochem’s Reflections upon our Heavenly Homeland.
Excerpts from THE FOUR LAST THINGS —- DEATH, JUDGMENT, HELL and HEAVEN
FR MARTIN VON COCHEM (1625-1712) OSFC
Nihil Obstat: Thomas L Kinkead, Censor Liborium
Imprimatur: Michael Augustine — Archbishop of New York (New York 5 Oct 1899)
PART IV
ON HEAVEN
IV.1 On the Number of the Saved
IN the 3 previous Chapters it has been our pleasurable task to point out how beauteous the Celestial Paradise is, the size thereof and how great is the happiness enjoyed by the Redeeed.
And doubtless in the heart of each one of our readers, a fervent desire has arisen to gain admission to the realms of eternal light and become a partaker of its joys. Perhaps each one will feel sure that his hopes in this respect will be fulfilled.
It is, however, greatly to be feared that many will … forever be excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven, as this Chapter is intended to demonstrate. …
My only motive in writing this Chapter is to open the eyes of the reader and show him his danger. For were I not to do this, he might go blindly on the incorrect road and only become aware that it is the road to perdition, when it is too late to retrace his steps, when the hand of death draws the veil over his eyes.
Thereupon, I consider that I shall do the wanderer a service if I enlighten him as to the risk he is incurring and endeavour to direct his steps into the path to Heaven.
What does Christ say about the number of the Elect? His Words are these:
“Many are called but few are chosen.”
He repeats these words when He speaks of the guest who had not worn a wedding garment:
“Bind his hands and his feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness. For many are called but few chosen.”
Were nothing further to be found to this intent in the whole of the Scriptures, this passage could not fail to alarm us.
But there are many other similar instances of which I will quote a few.
In the Gospel of St Matthew, we read that Our Lord said:
“Enter ye in at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth unto destruction and many there are, who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate and straight is the way, which leadeth unto life and few there are who find it” (Matt vii. 13).
Are not these words calculated to inspire us with anxiety and apprehension?
May we not be amongst those who go in at the wide gate, who walk on the broad road which ends in everlasting perdition?
In order that thou mayst better appreciate the meaning of Our Lord’s Words and perceive more clearly how few are the Elect, observe that Christ did not say that those were few in number who walked in the path to Heaven but there were but few, who found that narrow way.
“How narrow is the gate which leadeth unto life and few there are who find it.”
It is as if the Saviour intended to say: The path leading to Heaven is so narrow and so rough, it is so overgrown, so dark and difficult to discern that there are many who never find it, their whole life long. And those who do find it are exposed constantly to the danger of deviating from it, of mistaking their way and unwittingly wandering away from it because it is so irregular and over grown.
This St Jerome says, in his commentary on the passage in question. Again, there are some who when they are on the right road, hasten to leave it because it is so steep and toilsome.
There are also many who are enticed to leave the narrow way by the wiles and deceits of the devil and thus, almost imperceptibly to themselves, are led downwards to Hell.
From all that has been said we may gather that those are but few in number who find the way to Heaven and yet, fewer are those, who persevere in following it unto the end!
AnaStpaul 