Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/204

 God by  Viaticum  and  Extreme  Unction. By a strange  coincidence  he  is  the  dear  old  friend  of  her early youth. He has  seen  much  of  the  world  since then, having  had  to  mingle  with  all  sorts  and  conditions of  men,  but  the  hardest  trial  of  his  life  is  to tell  this  poor  child  that  she  is  soon  to  die,  and  that she must  be  reconciled  to  the  will  of  God. Ah, what need to  tell  her! for has  she  not  longed  for  this  hour and prayed  often  in  the  words  of  St. Paul to  be  dissolved and  be  with  God? She wishes  to  make  a  general confession  and  all  withdraw. General confession! A collection  of  mere  trifles,  and  yet  she  shows a sorrow  for  her  sins  worthy  of  a  Magdalen. She has been impatient — she  has  loved  some  of  the  Sisters more than  others — she  has  kept  all  to  herself  a  beads her little  dying  brother  gave  her  as  a  keepsake — she would like  to  see  her  parents  and  her  little  sister  for their sakes,  but  for  her  own  she  would  rather  die  ere they arrive  that  she  may  give  herself  more  freely  to God — she  was  ordered  to  take  more  rest  and  nourishment and  did  not  fully  obey. Then the  confessor asks a  few  questions,  and  her  great  bright  eyes  open in silent  wonder,  for  he  speaks  of  things  she  does  not understand— of sins  she  did  not  know  existed. " Father,  have  I  made  a  good  confession?  "  "  My poor  child,  yes." " Father,  do  you  think  I  will  be saved? "  Saved? What can  the  man  answer? With tears in  his  eyes  and  with  trembling  voice  he  says: " My  poor  child,  may  God  help  me  and  my  other  poor penitents  if  you  find  salvation  difficult.  But,"  he continues,  "throw  yourself  on  the  mercy  of  God