there is nothing less valued, and more despised by men of the world. This is what S. Bernard deplores, when he says, " The days of salvation pass away, and no one reflects that the day which has passed away from him can never return." That gambler will be seen to waste both day and night in play; if he is asked what he is doing, he answers, "We are passing away the time." Another idler will be seen to loiter about the streets, for whole hours together, looking at those who pass by, either speaking of wicked, or else about useless things; if he is asked what he is doing, he answers, " I am passing away the time." Poor, blind ones! who are wasting so many days, but days that will never return.
O despised time, thou wilt be the thing most desired by the worldly at the time of death. They will desire one more year, one more month, one more day; but they will not have it, they will then hear it declared, that " time shall be no longer." What would not each one of those give for one more week, one more day, in order the better to clear his conscience. S. Laurence Justinian observes, that each one of these will then be willing to give up everything to obtain only one hour. But this hour will not be given to them; the priest who is with them will say, there is no more time for thee; " Depart, O Christian soul, from this world."
Nevertheless, the prophet bids us remember God, and obtain His grace before the light shall fail, " Remember now thy Creator .... while the sun or the light .... be not darkened. (Eccles. xii. I, 2.) How it distresses a pilgrim when he finds out that he has wandered from the right way, and it is already night, and there is no longer time to get back to the right path. This will be the distress when death comes to him, of him who has lived for many years in the world, but who has not spent those years in loving God, " The night cometh, when no man can work." (S. John ix. 4.) Death will be to him the time of night, when he will be able to do nothing. " He hath called against me the time." (Lament, i. 15, Vulg.) His conscience will then remind him of the time he has had, and how he has spent it in the ruin of his soul; the many calls and graces that he has received from God to become holy, and yet was not will-
