Page:HalfHoursWithTheSaints.djvu/68

 forced to  observe  a  continual  fast. The strength  of  my body  has  left  me,  but  the  joy  of  my  heart  increases  in proportion  to  the  prospect  of  a  speedy  death.

What a  happiness  it  will  be  if  I  am  permitted  to  sing next Easter  Sunday  the  Hcec  dies  in  heaven!

Had you  tasted  the  sweet  delight  which  God  has  poured into our  souls,  you  would  indeed  despise  the  good  things this world  affords. Since I  have  been  in  prison  for  His sake, I  feel  that  I  am  a  disciple  of  Jesus. I now  find myself fully  compensated  for  the  pangs  of  hunger,  by  the consoling sweetness  which  filled  my  soul;  and  were  I  to be  immured  in  prison  for  years,  the  time  would  appear  to me  to  be  short,  so  much  do  I  desire  to-  suffer  for  Him  who rewards me  so  liberally  for  my  pains.

Among other  illnesses,  I  have  had  a  fever  raging  within me which  lasted  a  hundred  days,  without  the  possibility of being  relieved. During all  this  time  my  joy  has  been so great,  that  I  find  it  useless  to  describe  it  in  words.

Father Spinola.

When we  are  in  good  health  there  are  two  things  which usually go  far  to  stifle  every  sense  of  the  fear  of  God,  and these are  the  hope  of  a  long  life  and  the  forgetfulness  of eternity.

So long  as  the  sinner  is  strong  and  well,  the  thought  of death  never  enters  into  his  mind;  or,  if  it  should,  it  makes but little  impression  upon  him,  because  he  looks  upon  it  as an  event  very  far  off.

Then comes  the  judgment  (which  awaits  until  that  fearful moment),  and  even  the  thought  of  this  does  ndt  affect him, for  he  lives  as  if  he  never  had  to  give  an  account of his  misdeeds;  but  when  he  finds  himself  stretched  on a  bed  of  sickness,  weak,  languid,  exhausted  with  pain  and overcome with  grief,  it  is  then  that  he  recollects  that  he  is