Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/319

 eternity to  meditate  on,  time  to  improve,  temptation to overcome,  the  devil  to  resist,  our  neighbour  to edify,  our  passions  to  subdue,  the  world  to  guard against, and,  perhaps,  death  and  judgment  to undergo. Reflect seriously  on  all  these  important truths, and  they  will  not  only  incite  you  to  begin  the day well,  but  also,  in  the  course  thereof,  to  make  the affair of  your  eternal  salvation  your  principal  study.

2. As  it  is  also  a duty  of  the  greatest  consequence to conclude  the  day  properly,  nothing  can  prove  a more  powerful  incitement  thereto  than  the  serious consideration of  the  many  spiritual  and  temporal blessings which  God  has  bestowed  on  you,  the  various evils from  which  his  providence  has  hitherto  preserved you, and  the  absolute  uncertainty  whether  you  shall ever unclose  your  eyes  to  behold  the  next  morning. Thousands, who  had  as  good  a right  to  expect  it  as you,  were  nevertheless  disappointed. The very  bed on which  you  lie  is  a memento  mori  or  kind  of  sepulchre, and  sleep,  the  image  of  death. What unaccountable rashness,  then,  must  it  be,  for  a sinner  to compose  himself  to  sleep  in  a state  of  mortal  sin, without first  endeavouring  to  appease  the  wrath  of God  by  an  act  of  contrition,  or  some  other  spiritual exercise of  piety  or  devotion; since  that  very  night perhaps his  soul  may  be  required  of  him.

3. Let  us,  then,  guard  against  this  danger,  by a faithful  discharge  of  every  Christian  duty: let  us frequently  exclaim,  with  the  prophet,  "Enlighten mine  eyes,  O Lord,  that  I may  never  sleep  in  death, lest  the  enemy,  at  any  time,  may  say — I have  prevailed against  him.”

"He that  desires  to  make  any  progress  in  the service  of  God,  must  begin  every  day  with  fresh ardour: he  must,  as  much  as  possible,  keep  himself