Let us labour for eternity

I. Be ye ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come (Luke xii. 40).

The time of death will not be the time to prepare ourselves to die well; to die well and happily, we must prepare ourselves beforehand. There will not be time then to eradicate bad habits from the soul, to expel from the heart its predominant passions, and to extinguish all affection for earthly goods. The night cometh when no man can work (Jo. ix. 4). In death all will be night, when nothing will be seen, and hence, nothing done. The heart hardened, the mind obscured, confusion, fear, the desire of health, will render it almost impossible at the hour of death to set in order a conscience confused and entangled in sin.

O Sacred Wounds of my Redeemer, I adore you, I humbly kiss you, and I confide in you.

The Saints thought they did but little, though they spent their whole lives in preparing for death by acts of penance, prayer, and the practice of good works, and they trembled when they came to die. The Blessed John of Avila, although he had led a very holy life from his youth, when it was announced to him that he was about to die, made answer and said: "Oh that I had a little more time to prepare myself for death!" And what shall we say when the summons of death shall be brought to us?

No, my God, I do not wish to die disquieted and ungrateful, as at present I should die, if death were to overtake me now. I desire to change my life, I desire to bewail my offences against Thee, I desire to love Thee with my whole heart. O Lord, help me, enable me to do something for Thee before I die, — for Thee Who hast died for the love of me.

II. The time is short (1 Cor. vii. 29), says the Apostle. Yes, we have but a short time in which to set our accounts in order. Hence the Holy Ghost admonishes us: Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it quickly (Eccles. ix. 10). Whatever thou art able to do today, put it not off till tomorrow; for today is passing away, and tomorrow may bring death which will deprive thee of all means of doing good, or of amending what thou hast done amiss. Woe to me, if death shall find me still attached to this world!

Ah, my God, how many years have I lived at a distance from Thee! And how hast Thou had so much patience with me, in waiting for me and in calling me so often to repentance! I thank Thee, O my Redeemer, for Thy long forbearance, and I hope to thank Thee for it forever in Heaven. The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever (Ps. lxxxviii. 2). Hitherto I have not loved Thee, and have made little account of being loved or not being loved by Thee, but now I do love Thee with my whole heart. I love Thee above all things, more than I love myself, and I desire nothing so much as to be loved by Thee. And recollecting how I have despised Thy love I would willingly die of grief for having done so. Mary, my holy Mother, obtain for me the happiness of being faithful to God.