Page:The Way Of Salvation- Meditations For Every Day Of The Year (IA TheWayOfSalvation1836).pdf/110

 torment of the wicked when they exclaim: “ I have lost my soul, I have lost heaven, I have lost my God; I have lost my all; and this, through my own fault!” O my dear Saviour, I desire never to lose thee: if I have hitherto lost thee, I have done ill; I am sorry for it with my whole soul, and love thee above all things. O Jesus, thou hast saved me from hell that I may love thee. I will therefore truly love thee. Enable me to compensate by my love for the offences which I have committed against thee. Holy Virgin Mary, you are my hope.

I. HOW much is contained in these words: "we must die!” Christian brother, thou must one day certainly die. As thy name was one day entered in the baptismal register, so will it one day be entered in the book of the dead, and this day is already determined by Almighty God. As thou now speakest of the dear memory of thy father, or of thy uncle, or brother, so will posterity speak of thee. As thou now frequently hearest of the deaths of thy friends or acquaintance, so will others hear of thy death, and thou wilt be gone into eternity. O God, what will then become of me? When my body, shall be carried to the church, and mass said over me, where will be my soul? Enable me, O Lord, to do something for thy service before death overtakes me. How wretched should I be if at this moment it should surprise me!

II. What would you say of a criminal on the way to execution, who was looking about him here