Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/55

 of reproach;  we  fools  esteemed  their  life  madness  and their end  without  honor;  behold  how  they  are  numbered among the  children  of  God  and  their  lot  is  among  the saints." (Wis.  v.  3.)  Then  will  be  exacted  that  strict account  of  every  thought,  word  and  deed  of  our  whole lives.  Those  crimes  which  sinners  are  ashamed  of  exposing to  a  confessor  will  then  'be  known  to  the  whole world.  Do  penance  now,'  or  you  will  then  be  covered with  confusion.

III. Consider the  final  sentence  of  the  Judge. He will turn to  the  elect,  and  with  eyes  beaming  with  love  He will  say,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  possess  the kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the world." (Matt. xxv.  34.)  Then  addressing  the  wicked, " Depart,"  He  will  say,  "  depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into everlasting  fire,  which  was  prepared  for  the  devil  and his  angels." Ponder the  greatness  of  the  reward,  and then the  severity  of  the  punishment. Make your  choice between them;  it  is  now  in  your  power,  but  soon  it  will not be  so. Wherefore, while  time  exists,  "  whatever  thy hand  is  able  to  do,  do  it  earnestly,  neither  worth,  nor reason,  nor  wisdom,  nor  knowledge  shall  be  in  hell, whither  thou  art  hastening." (Eccles. ix,  10.)

I. Hell  is  the  prison  house  of  the  damned,  replete  with every kind  of  misery  and  void  of  all  good. Conceive the most  severe  torments  that  imagination  can  fancy, and they  will  be  nothing  in  comparison  with  the  torments of  hell. That place,  says  St.  John,  is  "a  pool  of fire,  burning  with  brimstone." (Apoc. xxix.  20.)  It  will be, 1. A place  of  hideous  darkness,  more  obscure  than Egyptian darkness. 2. Excessively  crowded  in  conse-