Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

  O Christian soul, what will be your sentiments at the hour of death with regard to this world and all its perishable goods, vain honors, false riches and cheating pleasures.   Alas! The world must then end in your regard.  It will turn upside down before your eyes, and you will begin to see the nothingness of all those things on which you had here set your heart.  How will you then despise all worldly honors and preferences when you see yourself at the brink of the grave, where the worm will make no distinction between the king and the beggar.  How little account, will you then make of the esteem of men, who then will think no more of you.  How will you undervalue your riches, which now must be left behind you, when six feet of earth and a coffin and a shroud will be all your possession.  How despicable will all worldly pleasures seem to you, which at the best  could never give you any true satisfaction, and now fly from you and dissolve ...

When you are going to hear Mass, let your first care be to endeavor to recollect yourself, as well as you can, by calling home your wandering thoughts, and taking them off from other businesses and concerns… (Photo©Michael Seagriff) On your way to the church or chapel, put yourself in spirit in the company of the Blessed Virgin, and the other pious women going to Mount Calvary, to be present at the Passion and death of our Lord… When you enter the church or chapel, humble yourself profoundly in the presence of God, whose house you have come into; and if the Blessed Sacrament be kept there, adore your Savior upon your bended knees… Choose, as much as you can, a place to kneel in, where you may be recollected, and least disturbed. There represent to yourself by a lively faith the majesty of God, and humbly beg His mercy and grace that you may assist at this tremendous sacrifice in the manner your ought. (Bishop Robert Challoner as quoted by James Monti in ...

Thank you Allison Gingras  (Reconciled To You) and Elizabeth Riordan ( Theology Is A Verb ) for hosting  Worth Revisiting . Be sure to stop by every Wednesday . You will enjoy your visits. I offer this reflection: As We End This Year, We Would Do Well To Ponder "What Our Sentiments Will Be At The Hour of Death"  (Originally published December 31, 2013) Source: Wikimedia Commons ) We know our God is a God of unlimited mercy. So long as we have breath in our earthly lungs and turn to Him in true repentance, seeking His forgiveness and mercy, we will receive it. But not a single human being can presume upon God’s mercy, since He is also a God of Justice. Presumption is, as the Baltimore Catechism tells us, “a rash expectation of salvation without making proper use of the necessary means to obtain it.” We ignore God, His graces, promptings and teachings at our eternal peril. In order not to b...

Source: Wikimedia Commons ) We know our God is a God of unlimited mercy. So long as we have breath in our earthly lungs and turn to Him in true repentance, seeking His forgiveness and mercy, we will receive it. But not a single human being can presume upon God’s mercy, since He is also a God of Justice. Presumption is, as the Baltimore Catechism tells us, “a rash expectation of salvation without making proper use of the necessary means to obtain it.” We ignore God, His graces, promptings and teachings at our eternal peril. In order not to be caught by surprise, we would do well as we end the old year and welcome in the new one, to set aside sufficient time today to silently reflect on how we have lived this past year and ponder whether or not we need to make adjustments in how we will live the rest of our lives - be it seconds, minutes, weeks, months or years.