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 a spiritual  way,  have  the  chosen  people  of  the  New  Testament,  the faithful, sprung  from  the  twelve  Apostles,  who  converted  both  Jews  and Gentiles, receiving  them  into  the  Church  of  Christ.

If you  wish  to  die  a happy  death,  you  must fear God  from  your  youth  upward,  and  pray  diligently  for  the grace of  final  perseverance,  because  this  most  important  of  all graces can  only  be  obtained  by  prayer. Only the  foolish  and cowardly hope  for  a sudden  death. The Church  teaches  us  to pray:  “From  sudden  and  unprovided  death,  Lord,  deliver  us.” It is  a great  blessing  not  to  die  suddenly,  but  to  watch  death approaching as  Jacob  did,  and  be  able  to  prepare  ourselves  for  it. “Holy Mary,  Mother  of  God,  pray  for  us  sinners  now,  and  at the  hour  of  our  death.”

Some day  you  will  stand  by  the  death-bed  of  your  father or mother. How you  will  then  grieve,  if  you  have  caused  them sorrow or  suffering  in  their  life-time!

N the  time  of  the  patriarchs,  there  lived  in  Arabia  a man, whom God  wished  to  give  as  a perfect  model  of  patience to all  mankind,  and  for  all  time. This man’s  name  was  Job. He had seven  sons  and  three  daughters. He owned  seven  thousand sheep, three  thousand  camels,  five  hundred  yoke  of  oxen,  five hundred she-asses,  and  had  a great  number  of  servants.

On this  account,  and  still  more  because  of  his  singular  piety, he was  held  in  high  esteem  among  the  people  of  the  East. One day when  the  sons  of  God  came  to  stand  before  the  Lord,  Satan also was  present  among  them,  and  the  Lord  said  to  him :  “Hast thou considered  my  servant  Job,  that  there  is  none  like  him  in