Thought for the Day – 21 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 IX
The Peace Felt by a Just Man When Dying
“The souls of the just are in the Hands of God
and the torment of death, shall not touch them.
In the sight of the unwise, they seemed to die,
…. but they are at peace.”
(Wisd iii: 1-3)
FIRST POINT:
“The souls of the just are in the Hand of God.”
If God holds the souls of the just in His Hand, who is it that can pluck them out of it? It is true that hell never ceases to tempt and to insult the Saints, even when they are dying but God never ceases to assist them and, when, as St Ambrose observes, His faithful servants are placed in more danger, then. does He give them more assistance.
When the servant of Elisha saw the City surrounded by enemies, he was affrighted but the Saint encouraged him, saying: “Fear not, for they who be with us, are more than they who be with them.” (2 Kings vi: 16). And Elisha then prayed and the young man’s eyes were opened and he saw an army of Angels sent by God to defend them!
The devil will indeed come to tempt the dying man but his Guardian Angel will also come to comfort him. St Michael, who is appointed by God to defend His faithful servants in this their last combat with hell but, above all, Jesus Christ will come to keep this His penitent and innocent sheep, for whose salvation He once gave up His life. He will give thy soul that confidence and strength which, in such a combat, it will stand in need of, so that He will exclaim with all courage: “Lord, be Thou my helper.” (Ps xxx: 10).
“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom then shall I fear?” (Ps xxvii: I) God, as Origen observes, cares much more about our eternal salvation than the devil does about our eternal ruin because, God Loves us much more than the devil hates us.
God is faithful, observes the Apostle and will not suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able (i Cor x: 13).
But you will say: “Many Saints have died in great fear concerning their eternal salvation.” I answer, few are the examples of those who, having led a holy life, have afterwards died in great fear.
Belluacensis observes, the Lord permits this in some Saints, in order to purge them when dying from some defect. Besides, do we not read that almost all God’s servants have died with a smile upon their lips?
To all, the Divine Judgment gives fear of death but where sinners pass from fear to desperation, the Saints pass to assurance.
St Antoninus narrates that St Bernard, being ill, was tempted to fear but, thinking upon the merits of Jesus Christ, he dismissed every fear, saying: “My merits are Thy Wounds.”
St Hilarion at first was afraid but later he said, rejoicing: “Go forth, my soul, of what art thou afraid? For well nigh seventy years thou hast served Christ and dost thou now fear death?” As if he wished to say, my soul, what dost thou fear after having served a God Who is faithful and
Who will never abandon him, who has been faithful to Him in life?
Father Joseph Scamacca being asked if he felt he was dying with confidence, answered: “What! have I been serving Mahomet all my life that I should now doubt the goodness of my God as to whether He may wish me to be saved?”
If the thought of having once offended God at any time should torment us in death, we know the Lord has promised to remember no more, the sins of the penitent.
“If the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, … they shall not be mentioned unto Him.” (Ezelc xviii: 21, 22).
But some will say, how can we be sure that God has pardoned us? St Basil even, asks this question and replies: “If we can say, I hate and abominate my sin because he who hates sin, may rest secure that God has pardoned him already.”
The heart of man cannot exist without love; it either loves the creature, or it loves God; if it does not love the creature, then it loves God. And who is it that loves God? Even he who keeps His commandments.
“He who hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is who loveth Me.” (St John xiv: 21).
He, therefore, who dies, observing God’s commands, dies loving God and he who loves God shall not fear for “perfect love casteth out fear.” (i St John iv: 18).
Affections andPrayers.
Ah, my Jesus, when will that day come when I shall be able
to say, “My God, never more shall I be able to lose Thee?”
When will that day come when I shall see Thee face-to-face,
and shall rest secure of loving Thee, with all my strength for all eternity?
Ah my Sovereign Good, my only love, as long as I live I shall stand in danger of offending Thee and of losing Thy blessed grace!
There was once an unhappy time when I loved Thee not and when I despised Thy Love but now, I repent with all my heart and hope Thou hast already pardoned me; for now I love Thee with all my heart and I desire to do all I can, to love Thee and to please Thee but I am still in danger of not loving Thee, and of again turning away from Thee.
Ah, my Jesus, my Life, my Treasure, do not permit me to do this. Rather than allow this dreadful misfortune to befall
me, let me now die the most painful death it may please Thee to send me. I am content with it and I pray for it.
Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus Christ, give me not over to this
great ruin. Punish me as Thou wilt, I deserve it and I accept
it but deliver me from the punishment of ever beholding myself deprived of Thy grace and of Thy Love.
My Jesus, for Thine own sake have mercy upon me!
AnaStpaul 
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