But, behold the heavens are opening, and the angels are coming to assist at the judgment, and are bearing the tokens of the passion of Jesus Christ. S. Thomas remarks, saying, "When the Lord comes to judgment, the sign of the Cross and other marks of His Passion will be seen." Especially will the Cross appear: " And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn. (S. Matt. xxiv. 30.) Cornelius a Lapide observes, " Oh, how sinners will then weep upon seeing the Cross, even those sinners who, during life, esteemed their eternal salvation of so little value, which salvation cost the Son of God so much." Then declares S. Chrysostom, " The nails will complain of thee, the wounds will speak against thee, the Cross of Christ will proclaim against thee." The holy apostles, with all their imitators, will act as assessors, at this judgment, who, together with Jesus Christ, will judge the nations. "They shall shine .... they shall judge nations." (Wisd. iii. 7, 8.) Finally, the Judge Himself shall come upon a throne of power and light. " And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (S. Matt xxiv. 30.) " Before their face the people shall be much pained." (Joel ii. 6.) The sight of Jesus Christ will console the elect, but to the wicked it will bring more anguish than hell itself. S. Jerome thought that, to the lost the punishments of hell will be easier to bear than the presence of the Lord.
S. Teresa said, " My Jesus, do Thou give me every anguish, but do not suffer me to behold Thy face wrathful against me at that day." And S. Basil, " This confusion surpasses all pain." Then will come to pass what S. John predicted, that the lost will pray to the mountains to fall upon them and to hide them from the sight of the angry Judge, and will say " to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." (Rev. vi. 16.)
Affections and Prayers.
O my dear Redeemer, O Lamb of God, Who didst come into the world not indeed to punish, but to pardon sins. Ah! do Thou pardon me quickly, before that day shall come in which
