says that he was at the point of death was the young son of a ruler. Who is, then, free from death? Not one in the whole world. “It is appointed unto all men;” the sentence is gone forth that all without exception must die, and that, too, but once. When shall we die? That is known to God alone, who has fixed the last hour for each one. What follows therefrom? This; that he who wishes to die well must be always prepared for death. There you have, my dear brethren, the subject of this sermon.
Plan of Discourse.
It is uncertain when death will come; therefore if we love our salvation we should always be ready and prepared for it.
That we may all do this give us, Lord, Thy powerful grace, which we beg of Thee through the intercession of Mary and of our holy guardian angels.
The servant who knows not when his master will return from a journey must be always ready to receive him. Our dear Saviour, who knew all things, wishing to exhort and instruct us as to how we should prepare for death, makes use of these words, which we find in the Gospel of St. Luke: “And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord…that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately.”[1] Mark well this simile, my dear brethren. In two different ways can servants await their master, when they have received word that he is coming. For either a messenger is sent on to announce the master’s arrival, saying for instance: your master is now some hours from here; he will arrive towards evening; and in that case the servant takes matters easily the whole forenoon; for, he thinks, it will do if I am at home in the evening. Why? Because I know that my master will not arrive till evening; at all events he cannot be here in the forenoon. And he is quite right. Or else the message is delivered in the following terms: your master is on the road home; he will arrive to-morrow, but I know not at what time. How must that servant act in order to be sure of being present to receive his master? Can he go out in the forenoon? No, because his master might come during his absence. He has waited till ten, eleven, twelve o clock, and no sign of his master yet; can he not now leave the house and do as he wishes? Not by any means, for his master might come at midday. He waits still longer, until it begins to get
- ↑ Et vos similes hominibus expectantibus dominum suum,…ut cum venerit et pulsaverit, confestim aperiant ei.—Luke xii. 36.
