St. Alphonsus' prayer-book/Part 3.6: Exercises for the Fourth Sunday in the Month consecrated to the Preparation for Death
6. Exercises for the Fourth Sunday of the Month, Consecrated to the Preparation for Death.
1. He that Loves God must Love and not Abhor Death.
How can he ever abhor death who is in the grace of God? " He that abideth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him" (1 John iv. 16). He, therefore, that loves God is secure of His grace, and, thus dying, he is sure of going to rejoice forever in the kingdom of the blessed; and shall such a one fear death? David truly said: "Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified" (Ps. cxlii. 2). This means that no man may presume to be saved by his own merits; for no .one but Jesus and Mary can say that he has been without sin throughout his life. But he ought not to fear death, if, with true repentance for his sins, he trusts in the merits of Jesus Christ. It was to save sinners that Jesus Christ died and poured forth His Blood. The Blood of Jesus Christ, says the apostle, speaks more in favor of sinners than the blood of Abel spoke against Cain, who slew him.
It is true that without a divine revelation no man can possess an infallible certainty of his own salvation; but he that has given himself with a true heart to God. and is ready to lose everything, even life itself, rather than lose the divine grace, has a moral certainty that he will be saved. This certainty is founded on the divine promises: " no man," says the Scripture, " ever trusted in God and was confounded " (Ecclus. ii. 11). Almighty God declares in many passages that He does not desire the death of the sinner, but that he be converted and live. " Is it My will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways and live?" (Ezech. xviii. 23.) And in the same chapter God laments over those obstinate sinners who choose to perish because they will not leave their sins, and says: "Why will you die, O house of Israel?" And to those who repent of their sins He promises to forget all their iniquities. " If the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, he shall live. I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done" (Ezech. xviii. 21).
When a sinner also hates the sins he has committed, it is a certain sign that he has been pardoned. A holy Father says that whoever can say with truth, " I hate and abhor my iniquities," may be certain that they are forgiven. We have another sign of pardon when we recover grace and persevere in a good life for a considerable time after having sinned. It is also a sure sign to the same effect when we have a fixed resolution to die rather than lose the friendship of God, as also when we earnestly desire to love Him, and to see Him loved by others, and when we feel distress at seeing Him offended.
How is it, then, that certain great saints, after having given themselves wholly to God, and after a life of mortification and detachment from all earthly things, at the hour of death have felt great terror at the thought of appearing before Christ, their Judge? I reply that those great saints who have suffered these fears at the moment of death have been very few, and that it was the will of God that they should thus purge away the remains of their sins before entering on eternal blessedness; but that, ordinarily speaking, all the saints have died in remarkable peace, and with earnest desires to depart to the presence of God. And for the rest, this is the very difference between sinners and saints at the hour of death, that sinners from fear pass on to despair, and saints from fear pass on to confidence, and thus die in peace.
Therefore, every one who has a hope that he is in the grace of God ought to desire death, repeating the prayer which Jesus Christ has taught us: " Thy kingdom come;" and he ought to embrace death with joy when it comes, that he may thus be freed from sin, and leave this world, where no one lives without imperfections, and go to behold God, face to face, and love Him with all his powers in the kingdom of love.
2. Protestation for a Happy Death.
MY God, being certain that I shall die, and not knowing when it will be, I intend now to prepare myself for death; and I therefore declare that I believe all that the holy Church believes, and especially the mystery of the most holy Trinity, the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ, paradise and hell; because Thou Who art truth itself hast revealed all these truths.
I deserve a thousand hells: but I hope in Thy mercy, through the merits of Jesus Christ, to obtain pardon, final perseverance, and the glory of paradise.
I protest that I love Thee above all things, because Thou art the Infinite Good; and because I love Thee I am more sorry that I have so often offended Thee than for any other evil, and I resolve rather to die than offend Thee again. I pray Thee rather to take away my life than to permit me to lose Thee by another sin.
I thank Thee, my Jesus, for all the sufferings Thou hast undergone for me, and for the many mercies Thou hast shown me, after I had so greatly offended Thee.
My beloved Lord, I rejoice in that Thou art infinitely happy, and that Thou art loved by so many souls in heaven and on earth. I desire that all should know and love Thee.
I protest that if any one has offended me, I pardon him for the love of Thee, O my Jesus; and I beg of Thee to do good to him!
I declare that I desire to receive the most holy sacraments, both in life and death: and I intend now to ask for absolution of my sins, in case I should not be able to give any sign of it at my death.
I accept my death, and all the pains which shall accompany it, in union with the death and sorrows which Jesus suffered on the cross. And I accept, my God, all the pains and tribulations which Thou shalt send me before my death. Do with me, and with all that belongs to me, what Thou pleasest. Give me Thy love and holy perseverance, and I ask nothing more.
My Mother Mary, assist me always, but especially at my death; in the mean time help me and keep me in the grace of God. Thou art my hope. Under thy mantle I will live and die. St. Joseph, St. Michael, Archangel, my guardian angel, help me always, but especially in the hour of my death.
And Thou, my dear Jesus, Who to obtain for me a happy death didst give Thyself to suffer such a bitter death, abandon me not in my last hour. From this time I embrace Thee, that I may die in Thy arms. I deserve hell, but I throw myself on Thy mercy, hoping in Thy Blood to die in Thy friendship, and to receive Thy blessing when I shall see Thee first as my judge. Into Thy hands, wounded for my love, I commend my soul. I hope in Thee, that Thou wilt not then condemn me to hell. In te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in aeternum. Ah, help me always, but especially at my death; grant me to die loving Thee, so that the last sigh of life may be an act of love, which shall transport me from this earth to love Thee forever in paradise.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my agony! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give myself to you; do you receive my soul at that moment.
3. The Words of a Dying Man to Jesus Crucified.
O Jesus, my Redeemer, Who within a few moments wilt be my Judge, have mercy upon me before the moment comes when Thou wilt judge me. No, my sins do not terrify me, nor the rigors of Thy judgment, while I see Thee dead upon this cross to save me.
Yet, cease not to comfort me in the agony to which I am come: my enemies would terrify me by saying that there is no salvation for me: " Many say unto my soul, there is no salvation for him in his God." But I will never cease to trust in Thy goodness, and say, "Thou, O Lord, art my lifter up." Do Thou comfort me; do Thou make me feel that Thou art my salvation: " Say unto my soul, I am Thy salvation." Oh, let not all those pangs, those insults endured, that blood poured forth by Thee, be lost unto me. " Thou hast redeemed me, dying upon the cross; let not so great labor be in vain." Especially, I pray Thee, through that bitterness Thou didst feel when Thy blessed soul was separated from Thy most holy body, have mercy upon my soul when it departs from my body.
It is true that through my sins I have continually despised Thee; but now I love Thee above everything, I love Thee more than myself; and I grieve with all my heart for all the offences I have committed against Thee; I detest them, I hate them above every evil. I see that through the offences I have been guilty of I have deserved a thousand hells; but the bitter death which Thou hast been willing to endure for me, and the great mercies Thou hast already shown me, make me confidently hope that when I appear before Thee Thou wilt welcome me with the kiss of peace.
Trusting all in Thy goodness, O my God, I abandon myself into Thy loving arms. " In Thee, O Lord, I have hoped; I shall not be confounded forever." Through the sins I have committed, I have again and again deserved hell; but I hope in Thy Blood, that Thou hast now pardoned me; and I hope that I shall come to heaven to praise Thy mercies forever: "the mercies of God I will sing forever."
I willingly accept all the pains Thou dost destine for me in purgatory: it is just that the fire should purge away the wrongs I have done Thee. O holy prison, when shall I find myself shut up in thee, secure from being able ever to lose my God! O holy fire, when wilt thou purge away my vileness, and make me worthy to enter the kingdom of the blessed!
O Eternal Father, through the merits of the death of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, make me to die in Thy grace, and in Thy love, that I may come to love Thee throughout eternity. I thank Thee for all the graces Thou hast given me through my life, and especially for the great grace of Thy holy faith, and for having caused me to receive, in these my last days, all the holy sacraments. Thou wiliest that I should die, and I desire to die to please Thee. It is little, O Jesus, my Saviour, that I should die for Thee, Who hast died for me. I am satisfied to say to Thee, with St. Francis, " Let me die for love of Thee, Who hast vouchsafed to die for love of me."
I receive death with peace, and also the pains which I must endure so long as I breathe; give me strength to suffer with a perfect conformity to Thy will. I offer them all to Thy glory, uniting them to the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy Passion.
O Eternal Father, I sacrifice to Thee my life, and all my being; and I pray Thee to accept this my sacrifice, through the merits of that great sacrifice which Jesus Thy Son offered up of Himself upon the cross.
O Mother of God, and my Mother Mary, thou hast obtained many graces from God for me during my life; I thank thee with all my heart. O abandon me not in this hour of my death, in which I have greater need of thy prayers. Pray to Jesus for me, and increase thy prayers; obtain for me sorrow for my sins, and more love for God, that I may come to love Him forever, in company with thee, and with all my powers, in heaven. " In thee, O Lady, I have hoped: I shall not be confounded forever." Mary, my hope, in thee I trust.
4. Acts to be frequently made during Life and at the Time of Death.
O my God, I offer Thee my life, and I am prepared to die at any hour which may be pleasing to Thy holy will. " Thy will be done;" ever, ever, may Thy will be done.
O Lord, if Thou wiliest to leave me in life for some time longer, blessed be Thy name; but I desire not life, except to spend it all in loving Thee and giving Thee pleasure. If Thou wilt that I should die of this sickness, still blessed art Thou. I embrace death to do Thy will, and I repeat, " Thy will, Thy will be done;" I only beg Thee to help me all through this hour. "Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy." If, then, Thou wilt that I should leave this earth, I declare that I desire to die, because thus Thou wilt have it.
I desire also to die, in order that, by the pain and bitterness of my death, I may satisfy Thy divine justice for all my sins, through which I have offended Thee and deserved hell.
I desire also to die, that I may never more offend Thee or cause Thee displeasure in this life.
I also desire to die in acknowledgment of the gratitude which I owe Thee for all the benefits and gifts that Thou hast given me, contrary to all my own deserts.
I desire to die, that I may show that I love Thy will more than my life.
I desire, if it pleases Thee, to die now, at a time when I trust I am in Thy grace, in order to be assured that I shall praise and bless Thee forever.
I desire, above all, to die, in order that I may come to love Thee eternally, and with all my powers, in heaven; where through Thy Blood, O my Redeemer, I hope to come, and to be safe from ceasing to love Thee through all eternity. O my Jesus, Thou didst accept the death of the cross through love of me; I accept death, and all the pains which await me, through love of Thee. Therefore I say with St. Francis, " May I die, O Lord, through love of Thee, Who, through love of me, didst not disdain to die."
I pray Thee, O my Saviour, my love, and my only Good, by Thy holy wounds and Thy bitter death make me to die in Thy grace, and through Thy Blood suffer me not to perish. O sweetest Jesus, suffer me not to be separated from Thee; suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
O Lord, drive me not away from Thy face. T confess that, through my sins, I have deserved hell, and I mourn for them more than for any evil; and I hope to come to heaven to praise forever the great mercies Thou hast shown to me. " The mercies of the Lord I shall sing forever."
I adore Thee, O my God, Who hast created me. I believe in Thee, O Eternal Truth. I hope in Thee, O Infinite Mercy. I love Thee, O Supreme Goodness; I love Thee above everything; I love Thee more than myself, for Thou art worthy of being loved: and because I love Thee, I repent with all my heart for having despised Thy grace. I promise Thee to suffer every kind of death, and a thousand deaths, rather than displease Thee.
O Jesus, Son of God, Who didst die for me, have pity upon me! My Saviour, save me; and let it be my salvation to praise Thee through eternity.
O Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me; now it is the time for thee to aid me. Mary, Mother of grace, Mother of mercy, do thou defend us from the enemy, and receive us in the hour of death. To thy protection we fly, O holy Mother of God! O Mary, holy Mother of God, pray for us sinners!
St. Joseph, my patron and father, help me in this hour. St. Michael the Archangel, deliver me from the devils who lie in wait for my soul. O my holy advocates, and ye saints of paradise, pray to God for me.
And Thou, my Jesus crucified, at the moment when I must breathe my last breath, receive my soul in Thy arms; to Thee I recommend it; remember that Thou hast redeemed me with Thy Blood. "We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood." O my crucified Jesus, my love, and my hope, whether I live or die, I declare that I desire Thee alone, and nothing more. Thou art my God and my all, and what else can I desire but Thee! What have I in heaven or upon earth? Thou art the God of my heart and my portion forever! Thou art the love of my heart; Thou art all my riches!
To Thee, then, I recommend my soul; to Thee, Who hast redeemed it with Thy death. Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. Trusting in Thy mercy, I therefore say, In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; I shall not be confounded forever. O Mary, thou art my hope; to thee, therefore, I say again, In thee, O Lady, have I hoped; I shall not be confounded forever.
5. Ejaculations to be used in Preparation for a good Death.
Those who wish to make sure of dying well should frequently make use of these beautiful ejaculations in time of health as well as in time of sickness. — As for those persons who are in attendance on the sick, their duty is from time to time to suggest or recite the Christian Acts, short prayers, etc., but always with great sweetness and discretion.
1. Confidence in God.
HE who has placed his confidence in God is never abandoned by Him. Jesus Christ died to obtain for us the pardon of our sins.
God gave us His only Son to die for us; therefore how can He refuse to pardon us?
The Lord is my light and my salvation; of whom, then, shall I be afraid?
Into Thy hands I commend my spirit; Thou didst redeem me, Lord, Thou God of truth.
We pray Thee, therefore, help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
In Thee. O Lord, have I trusted; let me never be confounded, Good Jesus, hide me in Thy sacred Wounds.
Thy wounds will plead for me.
My Jesus, Thou wilt not refuse me the pardon of my sins, since Thou hast not refused me Thy Blood and Thy Life.
Passion of Jesus, thou art my hope.
Merits of Jesus, ye are my hope.
Wounds of Jesus, ye are my hope.
Blood of Jesus, thou art my hope.
Death of Jesus, thou art my hope.
Eternally will I sing the Lord's mercy.
O Mary, my Mother, it is for thee to save me; have pity on me. Hail! our Queen and our hope, hail!
Holy Mary, pray for me, a poor sinner.
1 take refuge under thy protection, holy Mother o! God!
Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.
2. Contrition.
MY Jesus, Who wilt be my Judge, forgive me before Thou comest to judge me. A broken and a contrite heart Thou wilt not despise, O my God!
How happy should I be had I never offended Thee! Lord, Thou didst not deserve that I should thus ill-treat Thee!
I have offended Thee, O Infinite Goodness; I heartily repent, and, with all my soul, regret having done so.
Heavenly Father, I am not worthy to be called Thy child: I have abandoned Thee, I have despised Thy grace, I have lost Thee of my own free will; ah! forgive me, for the love of Jesus, and by His Blood; I repent with my whole heart.
Unhappy sins, that have made me lose God, I detest ye, I hate ye, I curse ye.
My God, whom I have so often offended, what evil hadst Thou done me? Ah! for the love of Jesus, have pity on me. Henceforth, Lord, no more sins; I wish to employ the remainder of my life in loving Thee.
To expiate my offences against Thee, O my God, I offer Thee my death and all the sufferings I shall have to endure until the end, by uniting them to those of Jesus crucified for me.
O Mary, obtain for me true sorrow for my sins, and also pardon and perseverance.
3. Love of God.
MY God, because Thou art of infinite goodness and worthy of infinite love, I love Thee beyond every created thing, I love Thee more than myself, I love Thee with my whole heart.
Lord, I am not worthy of loving Thee, because I have offended Thee; but for Jesus' sake grant that I may love Thee.
Would that I could see Thee loved by all!
I rejoice in Thine infinite happiness.
My Jesus, I desire to suffer and die for Thy sake, since Thou didst suffer and die for mine.
Chastise me, Lord, as seemeth best to Thee; but deprive me not of the power of loving Thee.
I desire paradise that I may love Thee eternally with my whole heart.
Lord, send me not to hell, though such is what I deserve; for there I ought to hate Thee, and I know not how. What hast Thou done to me that I should ever hate Thee? Grant that I may love Thee, and then send me where Thou wilt.
I desire to suffer all that it pleases Thee to send me; I desire to die that I may do Thy will.
Bind me, my Jesus, so firmly to Thyself that I may never again be separated from Thee.
My God, may I be all Thine before my death.
Then shall I be able to say: my God, I can never again lose Thee.
My God, would that I could love Thee as Thou dost deserve to be loved.
O Mary, make my heart all God's. My tender Mother, I love Thee with all the ardor of my soul, and I desire to love Thee eternally in paradise.
4. Conformity to God's Will.
Behold me, Lord; do with me what Thou wilt. May Thy Will be ever done; I only desire what Thou wilt. I desire to suffer what Thou wiliest; I desire to die when Thou wiliest.
Into Thy hands I commend my body, my soul, my life, and my death. I love Thee, O my God, whether it pleaseth Thee to send me consolations or afflictions, and I desire to love Thee always.
Eternal Father, I unite my death to that of Jesus Christ, and I offer it to Thee in order to please Thee. Will of my God, Thou art my love. Good pleasure of my God, I devote myself entirelv to Thee.
5. Desire of Paradise.
O MY God, when shall I behold Thine infinite beauty, and when shall I behold Thee face to face?
In paradise I shall love Thee, and Thou wilt love me to all eternity, my God and my All!
My Jesus, when shall I be admitted to kissing those wounds which were imprinted for my sake?
O Mary, when shall I find myself at the feet of the Mother who has so loved and aided me?
My sweet Protectress, turn thou on me thine eyes of mercy. Take me from this land of exile, and show me the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
6. On Kissing the Crucifix.
MY Jesus, look not on my sins, but look on what Thou didst suffer for me.
Remember, I am a sheep of that flock for which Thou didst lay down Thy life.
I consent to being consumed for Thee, my Jesus, Who didst consume Thyself entirely for me.
Thou didst give Thyself entirely to me; I now give myself entirely to Thee.
My innocent Lord, Thou didst suffer for me far more than I, a sinner, am now suffering.
My beloved Redeemer, like Magdalen I kiss Thy sacred feet; vouchsafe me a pardoning word.
My God, for the love of Jesus Christ, pardon me, and grant me a good death.
Eternal Father, Thou didst give me Thy beloved Son; to Thee I consecrate my body and soul.
My Jesus, I have repaid Thee with ingratitude; have pity on me, for I have so often merited being cast into hell; I pray Thee to punish me in this life rather than in the next.
Thou didst not abandon me when I strayed away from Thee; abandon me not, I pray Thee, now that I would seek Thee.
Sweet Jesus, let me not be separated from Thee. Who can separate me from the love of Jesus?
My sweet Lord Jesus Christ, by Thy sufferings when Thy pure and innocent soul left Thy most holy Body, have pity on my guilty soul when it shall leave my body. Amen.
My Jesus. Thou didst die for love of me; I would die for love of Thee.