Thought for the Day – 29 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)

THIRD POINT:
“Walk while ye have the light.” (St John xii: 35).
We must walk in. the way of the Lord during life, while we have the light, for this light will be lost in death. The time of death is not the time to prepare but to already find ourselves prepared.
“Be ye ready.”

When death comes, nothing can be done; what is then done is done. … And what are we doing? We know for certain that within a short time and, it may happen at any hour, the most important trial we can undergo, will take place which will be the trial of our eternal salvation and shall we now lose time.
Some will say ‘but I am young, after some years I will give myself to God.‘ But I answer, ‘You know the Lord cursed the fig-tree He found without any fruit, although it was not the time for fruit, as is noticed in the Gospel.‘
“For the time of figs was not yet.” (St Mark xi: 13). By this Jesus Christ wished to show us that man, at every time, even at the time of youth, ought to yield the fruits of good works, otherwise he will be cursed and, for the future, will yield no fruit.
“No man shall eat fruit of thee hereafter, forever.” Thus did the Redeemer speak to that tree and even thus does He curse that one whom He calls but who resists His call.

The devil considers the time of our life to be but short and, for that reason, he loses no time in tempting us.
“The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath because he knoweth, he hath but a short time.” (Rev xii: 12). The enemy loses no time in tempting us that we may be lost and shall we lose any time in seeking to be saved? Others will say: “But what harm can I be doing.“
O God, is it not doing harm, to waste time in play, or in useless conversations which can bring no profit to the soul Perhaps God grants this time to you, that you may waste it Holy Scripture tells us, no! for “defraud not thyself of the good day.” (Ecclus xiv: 14). Those labourers, of whom St Matthew writes, did not do evil but they wasted their time and for this they were reproved by the master of the vineyard. “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” (St Matt xx: 6).
At the day of judgment Jesus Christ will ask us for an account of every idle word spoken. Any time which is not employed for God is time wasted! Therefore, does the Lord exhort us, saying: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest.” (Eccles ix: 10).

A Teresian nun once observed that, in the life of the Saints there is no to-morrow; tomorrow is for sinners alone, who are ever saying, some day, some day. until death comes to overtake them.
“Behold, now is the accepted time.” (2 Cor vi: 2).
“To-day, if ye will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts.” (Ps xcv: 8). God now calls upon you to do good; do it at once because, when to-morrow comes, either there maybe no more time, or God may never call thee again!

And if, during the time which is past, you have unfortunately spent it in offending God, try to mourn over the sin during the life remains to you.
As King Hezekiah proposed to do, “I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.” (Isa xxxviii: 15). God gives you your life hat you may now, in some measure, redeem the time lost.
“Redeeming the time because the days are evil.” (i Eph v: 16).
St Augustine comments upon this: “Thou redeemest the time, if the things thou hast neglected to do, thou doest now.”
St Jerome observes of St Paul, although he was the last of the Apostles, yet he was the first in merits because of all he did after he was called. Let us consider, that if there were nothing else, at each moment we could increase our store of eternal goods.
If it were granted to you to gain as much land as you could walk round or, as much money as you could count, in one day, would you not make haste to walk round or to count it? And you can gain eternal treasures in one moment and yet, are you willing rather, to waste the time?
What you can do to-day, do not say you can do it to-morrow because this day will be lost to you and it will never return. …

Affections and Prayers

No, my God, I will no longer waste this time which Thou, in
Thy Mercy, dost grant me. I deserve now to be weeping
fruitlessly in everlasting punishment. I thank Thee for having
preserved me in life. Therefore, for the days which may remain to me, I will live only to Thee. … I wish to weep over
the offences I have committed against Thee and whilst weeping, I feel certain that Thou wilt pardon me; for the prophet assures me: “Thou shalt weep no more; He will be very gracious unto thee. ” (Isa xxx: 19).

If I were now in hell I could never love Thee more but now I love Thee and hope ever to love Thee. If I were now in hell, I should never more be able to ask Thee for more grace but now, I can hear Thee saying: “Ask and it shall be given unto you.” Therefore, since I can still ask Grace of Thee, these two gifts will I ask, O God of my soul – give me perseverance in Thy Grace and give me Thy Love and then do with me what Thou wilt.
Grant that at every moment of life which may remain to me, I may ever commend myself to Thee, my Jesus, by saying:
“Lord, help me, Lord, have mercy upon me; let me never more offend Thee; let me ever love Thee.”