Sixth Meditation.—On the Judgment.
PREPARATION.
_1. Place yourself before God._
_2. Pray Him to inspire you._
CONSIDERATIONS.
1. At last, after the time God has appointed for the duration of the world, and after a multitude of dreadful signs and portents that will make men wither with terror, fire, coming like a flood, will burn and reduce to ashes the whole face of the earth, so that nothing we see will be spared.
2. After this flood of flames and lightning, all men will rise again from the earth (except those who have already risen), and at the voice of the archangel, they will appear in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. But alas! how different they will be! for some will be there with a glorious and radiant body, and others with a hideous and dreadful body.
3. Consider the majesty with which the sovereign Judge will appear, surrounded by His angels and His saints, with His cross before Him, brighter than the sun, a sign of grace for the good, and of severity for the wicked.
4. This sovereign Judge, by a command that will be carried out at once, will separate the good from the evil, placing the former at His right hand and the latter at His left; an everlasting separation, after which these two companies will never again be together.
5. Once the separation has been made, and the books of conscience opened, the wickedness of the evil and the contempt they have shown for God will be clearly seen on one side; and on the other, the repentance of the good and the happy fruits they have drawn from grace. Then nothing will be hidden. O God! what confusion for some, and what consolation for others!
PREPARATION.
_1. Place yourself before God._
_2. Pray Him to inspire you._
CONSIDERATIONS.
1. At last, after the time God has appointed for the duration of the world, and after a multitude of dreadful signs and portents that will make men wither with terror, fire, coming like a flood, will burn and reduce to ashes the whole face of the earth, so that nothing we see will be spared.
2. After this flood of flames and lightning, all men will rise again from the earth (except those who have already risen), and at the voice of the archangel, they will appear in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. But alas! how different they will be! for some will be there with a glorious and radiant body, and others with a hideous and dreadful body.
3. Consider the majesty with which the sovereign Judge will appear, surrounded by His angels and His saints, with His cross before Him, brighter than the sun, a sign of grace for the good, and of severity for the wicked.
4. This sovereign Judge, by a command that will be carried out at once, will separate the good from the evil, placing the former at His right hand and the latter at His left; an everlasting separation, after which these two companies will never again be together.
5. Once the separation has been made, and the books of conscience opened, the wickedness of the evil and the contempt they have shown for God will be clearly seen on one side; and on the other, the repentance of the good and the happy fruits they have drawn from grace. Then nothing will be hidden. O God! what confusion for some, and what consolation for others!
6. Consider the last sentence pronounced upon the wicked: Go, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his companions. Weigh these crushing words. Go, saith He; it is a word that marks the perpetual abandonment which God makes of these wretched ones, banishing them for ever from His face. He calls them cursed. O my soul! what a curse! a universal curse, which comprises all evils; an irrevocable curse, which comprises all times and eternity. He addeth, into everlasting fire. Behold, O my heart, this great eternity! O everlasting eternity of torments, how terrible thou art!
7. Consider next the sentence upon the good. Come, saith the Judge (ah! it is the sweet word of salvation, whereby God calleth us to Him, and receiveth us into the bosom of His goodness), blessed of My Father (O dear blessing, which compriseth every blessing), possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. O God! what grace! for this kingdom shall never have an end.
_Affections and resolutions._
1. Tremble, O my soul! at the thought of that last day. O God! what assurance shall I find there, since the very pillars of Heaven shall tremble with fear!
2. Detest your sins, which alone can cause your ruin on that dreadful day.
Ah! I will judge myself even now, that I may not be judged then. I will examine my conscience, and condemn, accuse, and correct myself, that my Judge may not condemn me on that terrible day. I will therefore confess myself, accept the necessary counsels, etc.
7. Consider next the sentence upon the good. Come, saith the Judge (ah! it is the sweet word of salvation, whereby God calleth us to Him, and receiveth us into the bosom of His goodness), blessed of My Father (O dear blessing, which compriseth every blessing), possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. O God! what grace! for this kingdom shall never have an end.
_Affections and resolutions._
1. Tremble, O my soul! at the thought of that last day. O God! what assurance shall I find there, since the very pillars of Heaven shall tremble with fear!
2. Detest your sins, which alone can cause your ruin on that dreadful day.
Ah! I will judge myself even now, that I may not be judged then. I will examine my conscience, and condemn, accuse, and correct myself, that my Judge may not condemn me on that terrible day. I will therefore confess myself, accept the necessary counsels, etc.
CONCLUSION.
Give thanks to God, Who hath given you the means to take precautions against that day, and the time to do penance.
Offer Him your heart, that He may dispose it to penance. Pray Him to grant you the grace to acquit yourself well therein. _Our Father_. _Hail Mary_.
Make a nosegay of devotion.
Give thanks to God, Who hath given you the means to take precautions against that day, and the time to do penance.
Offer Him your heart, that He may dispose it to penance. Pray Him to grant you the grace to acquit yourself well therein. _Our Father_. _Hail Mary_.
Make a nosegay of devotion.