Thought for the Day – 9 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 V
The Uncertainty of the Hour of Death
“Be ye, therefore, ready also, for the Son of Man
cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
(St Luke xii: 40)
FIRST POINT.
IT is certain that we must all die but, it is uncertain when.
The author, who styles himself Idiota, observes:
“Nothing is more certain than death but nothing is more uncertain than the hour of death.”
My brother, already is the year, the month, the day, the hour and even, the moment fixed, in which both you and I will have to leave this earth and, to enter upon eternity but this time is not known by us. Therefore, that we may ever be prepared, the Apostle tells us, death will come “as a thief in the night.” (i Thess v: 2).
Our Blessed Lord tells us to be watchful, for when least we “ expect it, He will come to judge us.” (St Luke xii: 40).
St Gregory observes, that God, for our good, keeps the hour of our death hidden from us, so that we may ever be found preparing for death.
Since, therefore, at any time and in any place, death may deprive us of life, St Bernard remarks, at every time and in every place, we must stand awaiting it, if we would die a happy death and be saved!
Everyone knows that he or she must die but the mistake
so many make, is to imagine that death is so far off, they, as it were, lose sight of it. Even old men, who are most infirm and people who are very sickly, flatter themselves that they have at least three or four years more to live.
But, on the contrary, I say, how many have we not known during our lifetime, who have died suddenly, some sitting, some walking and some lying upon their beds? And certainly, none of those who have died thus suddenly, ever thought to die in. that way, or upon that day. … And, moreover, I say, how many who have this year passed on to another life and who have died from some slight illness, never, imagined their days were to come to an end this year. Few indeed are the deaths which do not happen uxpectedly.
Therefore, dear Christian brother, when the devil tempts you to sin, saying, that to-morrow, after the sin has been committed, you will go to confession – answer him in this manner: – “”
“And how do I not know that to-day may not be the last of my days upon earth? If that hour, or that moment, in which I sinned against God, were to be the last for me, so that there would be no time to implore forgiveness, what would become of me in eternity?”
To how many poor sinners has it not happened, in the same
moment in which they have been yielding to some wicked passion, death has overtaken them suddenly and they have been cast into hell?!
“As the fishes are taken in an evil net, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time.” (Eccles ix: 12).
The “evil time” is precisely that, in which the sinner actually offends God. The devil tells you that it will not happen in this way with you but you ought to say, if it should happen, thus what will become of me for all eternity?
Affections and Prayers
Dear Lord, the place where I ought now to be, is not here where I now am but, in hell, where I have deserved to be so many times because of my many transgressions.
“Hell is my house.”
But St Peter tells us, “the Lord … is long-suffering
to us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (i St Pet iii: 9).
Therefore, Thou hast had so much patience with me and hast waited so long for.me because Thou didst not wish me to be lost but Thou didst wish me to come to repentance.
Yes, my God, I come to Thee, I cast myself at Thy feet, I crave for mercy.
“Have mercy upon me, O God, after Thy great goodness.” O Lord, great and extraordinary mercy is needed for me because I have offended Thee, although Thou hast blessed me with Thy Light.
Many are the sinners who have offended Thee but they have not had the Light which Thou hast graciously given to me. And yet for all that, still Thou dost command me to repent of my sins and I hope for pardon from Thee.
Yes, my dear Redeemer, I repent with all my heart for having offended Thee and I look for pardon through the merits of Thy Passion.
Thou, my Jesus,being innocent, was willing to die like a guilty one upon the Cross and to shed all Thy Blood to wash awav my sins.
“O Blood of the Innocent, wash away the sins of the penitent.”
O Eternal Father, pardon me, for the love of Jesus Christ, listen to the prayers tHe makes for me, now that He is interceding for me and making Himself my Advocate.
But it is not sufficient for me to be pardoned O God, Thou Who art worthy of infinite love, I wish the grace to love Thee. I do love Thee, O my Sovereign Good and I offer Thee, from henceforth, my soul, my body, my will,and my liberty. From this time I will avoid, not only grave offences but also slight ones. I will fly from all dangerous occasions.
“ Lead us not into temptation.” Deliver me, for the love of Jesus Christ, from these occasions in which I might chance to offend Thee.
“But deliver us from evil.”
Deliver me from sin and then punish me as Thou wilt. I accept all the infirmities, griefs and losses which it may please Thee to send me, there is nothing I mind, if I do not lose Thy Grace and Thy Love.
Thou dost promise to give me whatsoever I ask:
“Ask and it shall be given you.”
I ask Thee for these two graces, holy perseverance and the grace to love Thee.
AnaStpaul 
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