The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/Meditations for Every Day of the Week
Meditations for every Day of the Week.
MEDITATION FOR SUNDAY.
On the End of Man.
CIONSIDER, O my soul, that God has given thee existence, made thee after his own image, without any merit of thine, and adopted thee for his own child in holy baptism. He has loved thee more than a father, and has created thee to love and serve him in this life, that thou mayst eternally enjoy him in paradise. Therefore thou art not created and must not live to be happy here on earth, to enjoy riches and authority, or to eat, drink, and sleep, as do the animals, but only to love thy God and win thy eternal salvation.
And thy Lord has given thee created things for this use, to help thee to reach thy great end. O wretch that I am ! I have thought of anything else rather than of my eternal end. [ For example , of this or that thing. Examine here to see what is your chief vice.]
My Father! for the love of Jesus, grant that I may begin a new life, perfectly holy and conformable to thy divine will. [ Here endeavour to excite the deepest spirit of penance , and make the firmest resolution — especially , never more to think of this or that bad or vain object , but rather on something quite opposite.]
II. Consider what stings of conscience it will give you at the moment of death to remember, that you have not thought of serving God! What sorrow, when, at the end of your days, you see that there is nothing left to you, at that hour, of all your possessions, honours, splendour, and pleasures, but a handful of dust! what consternation then to see that you have lost the favour of God, and your immortal soul, for the sake of vain trifles and things that perish, when it is too late to remedy the evil, too late for you to try the better way! O what despair! O cruel torment! You will then see, but too late, how great is the value of time; you would willingly purchase it then with your blood, but alas! you will not be able. O bitter day for him who has not served and loved God ! [Awaken in your breast the sentiments of contrition, and make a firm resolution .]
III. Consider how men neglect their salvation, that great end of man. They do not forget to amass riches, to eat, to prepare entertainments, and make all things comfortable about them: but they think little of serving God. You have thought so little of saving your soul, and you consider your everlasting end a thing of little consequence. And thus the greater part of Christians, are hurrying, feasting, singing, dancing, and playing, on their way to hell, O if they only knew the meaning of that word Hell! O man! what pains thou takest to be lost, and wilt thou do nothing to be saved?
When once the private secretary of a king was lying on his death-bed, he exclaimed: Miserable man that I am! I have used so much paper in writing letters for my prince, and have not employed a single one to help me to examine my sins and prepare for good confession.
But of what use to him then were those sighs and intentions? They served at best only to increase his despair. But, made wise at the cost of others, O Christian, to live mindful of your eternal salvation, if you would not fall into the same despair, and remember that everything you do, say, or think, that is not for God, is lost. [ Reflect again on your sin .] It is indeed time for you to change your life. What! will you wait for the moment of death to awake you from your delusion — at the door of eternity, on the borders of the abyss? There is yet time, yet opportunity to correct your error. My God ! spare me! I love thee above all things! I sorry for having offended thee more than for any other evil. Mary, my hope, pray to Jesus for me.
[Excite your will to contrition , and make a firm resolution.]
MEDITATION FOR MONDAY.
On the importance of securing our End.
CONSIDER, O man! how much depends upon gaining your great end, that is, your salvation, everything is at stake; for if you reach it, then you saved, then you will be for ever blessed, and will ?y for ever every possible good of soul and body: if you fail, you will lose soul and body, paradise God; you will be for ever miserable; you will be lost eternally. Behold here the greatest of all affairs, the only important, the only necessary business: to love God and save your soul. Then say no longer, Christian: I will live now for my own pleasure, after that I will give myself to God, and hope to be saved after all. O how many has this false hope thrown into hell, who once spoke thus, and who now are lost, for whom there is now no deliverance! What man would ever wish to be damned? Yet he is accursed of God who sins in the hope of mercy. “ Cursed is the man who sins in hope.” You say, I will commit this sin and afterwards confess it. Who. knows if you will have time for that? Who can give you the assurance that you will not die immediately after you have committed this sin? Meanwhile you lose the favour of God; and what will become of you if you do not obtain it again? God is merciful to those who fear him, but not towards those who despise him. “ His mercy is to them that fear him.” ( Luke i. 50.) Do not say, it is all the same whether I have two sins to confess or three — no; for God may pardon you two sins, but not perhaps the third. God suffers long, but he will not suffer always. “ He will punish them in the fullness of their sins.” ( Zach . vi. 14.) When the measure is full, God pardons no more, But punishes sinners suddenly with death, and casts them from him, so that they go on from one sin to another, until they fall into hell — a punishment far worse than death itself. O my brethren, mark well what you now read; cease from sin and give yourself to God. Fear lest this should be the last warning which God will send you. You have gone on in your offences long enough. He has borne with you long enough. Tremble lest the first mortal sin you again commit after this, God will pardon you no more. Consider well: your soul is at stake — all eternity is at stake. How many have been moved by this great thought of eternity to leave the world, and live in cloisters deserts, and caves ! O unhappy sinner that I am ! What have I gained by so many sins? [Reflect on the frequent repetition of your besetting sin.] A guilty conscience, a heavy heart, a burdened soul, hell deserved, and God lost ! Ah, my God and Father, unite me to thee once more and for ever in sacred charity. [Excite the spirit of contrition in your heart, and make a firm resolution.]
II. Consider how this, the only important concern, is the most neglected of all. We think of everything but our salvation. We have time for everything but God. Exhort a man of the world, to receive the sacraments oftener, or to make a meditation of half an hour, and he will answer you: I have children, I have property to take care of, I have business, I have so much to do ! O my God! Have you not a soul too ! Call upon all your possessions, and your children, and relations, to help you at the hour of death; they will give you no relief, neither can they rescue you from hell when you are damned. Flatter yourself not with the hope that you can reconcile God and the world, paradise and sin. The affair of your salvation is not a thing which can be arranged easily; you must make efforts; you must do yourself violence if you would win the crown of eternal life. [ Think of that besetting sin which lies in your way.] Ah! how many Christians, who are now in hell, flattered themselves that at some future time they would serve God and save their souls. What folly ever to think always of what finishes so soon, and to think so little of that which will never end! O Christian ! think of your true home, remember that you will soon quit this earth, and enter into the dwelling of eternity. O horrible misfortune for you, should you be damned! Then, remember it well, then there is no more help for you. [Arouse in yourself the spirit of contrition , and make a firm resolution.]
III. Consider well, O Christian, and say to yourself: I have only one soul; if I lose that I lose all. I have only one immortal soul; if I gain the whole world and ruin that, what does it profit me? If I raise myself to high honour and distinction, and lose my soul, what does it profit me? If I succeed in becoming rich, and enlarge my house, and provide well for my children, and lose my soul, what will it profit me? How much have the splendours, amusements, and vanities of life helped those who once lived in this world, and who have now become dust in the grave, and their souls the prey of hell. Since this soul is mine, and since I have only one, which if once lost is lost for ever, then ought I indeed most seriously to think of my salvation. Something of far greater than common importance depends on it; for eternal happiness or eternal misery is involved. O my God I deeply penetrated with shame, I see that I have hitherto lived like one blind, and that I have wandered far from thee. [Think here once more of your besetting sin.] I have not thought of saving my soul. Save me, O my Father 1 for Jesus Christ’s sake. I am content to lose all things, only if I do not lose thee, O my God ! Mary, my hope! O save me by thy intercession. [Excite your heart to a deep contrition, and make a firm resolution.]
MEDITATION FOR TUESDAY.
On Mortal Sin.
I. Consider that God has created you in order that you may love him; but you have rebelled against him with the blackest ingratitude; you have treated him as an enemy; you have despised his grace and his friendship. You knew that by your sins yon would displease him, and yet you have committed them. What does the man who commits sin? He turns his back on God; he loses respect for him; he lifts his hands, it may be said, to strike him; he grieves the heart of his God (Is. lxiii. 10). He who sins, says in fact to God: Withdraw from me, I will not obey thee, I will »not serve thee, I will not acknowledge thee as my Lord, I will not have thee for my God; this pleasure, that worldly advantage, this gratification of my revenge, must be my God. So do you speak in your heart, whenever you prefer a creature to your God. St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi could not comprehend how a Christian, with his eyes open, could commit sin. And you, who now are reading this, what do you say? How many mortal sins have you not already committed? [Examine yourself. ] My God! pardon me, and have mercy on me. I have offended thy infinite goodness; I hate my sins, I love thee, and repent of having offended thee, O my God, thou who art infinitely lovely! [Arouse yourself to repentance, and make a firm resolution .]
II. Consider that in the moment when you are committing sin God says to you: “ My son! I am thy God, who have created thee from nothing, who have redeemed thee with my blood. I forbid thee, under pain of my displeasure, to commit these sins.” But when you sin, you answer your God, and say: “ O Lord! I will not obey thee, I will procure for myself this satisfaction; it is of no importance to me whether it displeases thee or not.” Alas! O my God, more than once have I done this ! [ Examine yourself. ] How was it possible for thee to bear with me so long? O that I had died before offending thee! I will never displease thee more; I will love thee, O infinite goodness; give me only the grace of perseverance! give me thy holy love! [Excite your heart to contrition, and make a firm resolution .]
III. Consider that when the number of sins exceeds a certain limit, God abandons the sinner. “The Lord patiently expecteth, that when the day of judgment shall come, he may punish them in the fulness of their sins.” (2 Mach. vi. 14.) When, then, my brethren, you are tempted again to sin, never more say: I will confess my sins afterwards. If God should let you die first, if he should entirely desert you, what would become of you for all eternity? Alas! how many in this way have been lost! They too hoped for pardon, but the hour of death came, and they were lost. O tremble, for fear the same thing should befal you.
He deserves no mercy who takes advantage of the goodness of God to offend him. God has already pardoned you so many sins. You have reason enough to fear that God will not forgive the next mortal sin you commit. Thank him for having waited for you so kindly and so long, and make the firm resolution rather to suffer death than to commit sin again.
From this day forward, always say: O my God! I have often offended thee! I will not employ the remnant of my life in displeasing thee more; no, thou dost not merit such treatment as this. I will employ it only in loving thee, and in sorrow for the sins I have committed against thee I repent of them with my whole heart. My Jesus, I am anxious to love thee; wilt thou give me strength and help me? Amen. [ Excite in your soul a sorrow for sin, and make a firm resolution.]
MEDITATION FOR WEDNESDAY.
On Death .
I. Consider that this life must one day end. Already has the sentence gone forth: "Thou must die.” Death is certain, but you know not when it will come. One little drop flowing through your heart; a vein bursting in your breast; a suffocating cold in the throat, a violent rush of blood, a fever, a wound, a flash of lightning, is enough to deprive you of life. Death will come to you when you least expect it. How many have laid down to sleep at night in health, and in the morning have been found dead! May not this happen as well to you? All those who have died so suddenly little thought that they were to die in this way; and if they were then in the state of sin, where are they now? and where will they be through all eternity? Let it be as it may with them, this is certain, that a time will one day come, when for you a night will close in, followed by no morning; or a day will begin for you that will be interrupted by no night. Jesus Christ said: I will come as a thief, unseen and in secret. Your merciful Saviour warns you in season, for he desires that you may be saved. Do what God desires of you, profit by the warning, prepare yourself to die well before death itself comes. "Be ready," for when there is no more time for preparation, it is necessary to be already prepared. [Examine here your besetting It is certain that you must die. The drama of this world must close for you, and you know not when. Who knows whether you will live a year, a month, or even till to-morrow? Jesus! enlighten me and pardon me. [ Arouse your soul to contrition, and make a firm resolution.]
II. Consider how you will lie, at the hour of death, stretched upon a bed, surrounded by your weeping friends, a priest by your side to assist your soul, a crucifix at your head, the lighted taper in your hand, in fine, already just at the entrance of eternity. Dreadful pains afflict your distracted head, it grows dark around you, your tongue is parched, your breath is short, your breast is burdened, your blood chilled, your flesh shrunken, your heart rent with anguish; all you have is gliding from you, and poor and naked you will be thrown into a grave to rot. There worms and insects will gnaw your flesh, and nothing of you will be left but the crumbling bones and a little dust. Open some grave and look ! What has become of that rich, that avaricious man, that vain and worldly woman?
Thus ends life. At the hour of death you will find yourself surrounded by evil spirits, who will bring up before you all the sins you have committed from your childhood. Now, the devil conceals and excuses your sins, that he may lead you into sin. He says to you: This vanity, this pleasure, this dangerous company, this inclination is no great sin; you have no bad intention in this acquaintance; but at the hour of death he will show you all the enormity of your sins. [ Examine yourself thoroughly as to your besetting sin.] By the light of that eternity into which you are just entering, you will then see what an evil it was to have offended an infinite God. Now, while there is yet time, while you can do it, remedy the evil, for then it will be too late. [ Awaken your contrition , and make a firm resolution .]
III. Consider that death is a moment upon which a whole eternity depends. Behold! here lies a man just dying, and therefore near to both eternities; near an eternity of happiness, or an eternity of misery. See, his fate for eternity depends upon his last breath, after which his soul will be for ever happy, or for ever lost.
O the end of life! the last breath! that last moment, on which an eternity depends — an eternity of glory or of pain; of happiness or of misery; of joy or despair; an eternity of every good, or an eternity of every evil; an eternity in heaven, or an eternity in hell! For, if in that last moment you are saved, you will have nothing more to suffer, you will be for ever happy and blessed; but if you die in sin, and are damned, you will be wretched, and in despair, so long as God is God. In death, you will see what mean those words: Heaven, hell, sin, an offended God, contempt of the divine law, sins hidden in confession, goods of others not restored. “O miserable being that I am,” the dying man will exclaim, “ I must now, in a few moments, appear in the presence of God! Who knows what judgment will meet me there? Whither am I going, to heaven or to hell? Shall I rejoice for ever with the angels, or shall I burn eternally with the damned? Shall I be a child of God, or a slave of the devil? Alas! soon, too soon, I shall know, and where I find myself that first moment, there shall I remain through eternity. Ah ! what will become of me in a few hours, in a few moments? What will become of me when I can no longer repair that scandal? When I cannot restore those ill-gotten goods? when I cannot pardon my enemies from my heart? when I cannot any longer make good that confession?” [Examine yourself us to your principal sin.] Then will you curse a thousand times that day in which you sinned; you will curse that pleasure, that revenge which you have taken, but too late and without avail, because you will do it then only from the fear of punishment, and not from love of God ! Ah! Lord, behold — now, at this very moment, I turn to thee; I will not wait for death; now, and always I will love thee; I embrace thee, and in thy embrace will I die ! My Mother, Mary, let me die under thy protecting mantle; help me in my death ! Amen. [ Awaken your contrition , and make a firm resolution.]
MEDITATION FOR THURSDAY.
On the Last Judgment.
I. Consider how the soul, as soon as it has left the body, will be immediately taken before the tribunal of God to be judged. Your judge is Almighty God, offended and enraged with you. Your accusers are the devils, your enemies. You are to be judged for your sins. The judgment is one which cannot be recalled; the punishment is hell. There you have no companions, no parents, no friends; you will be alone there, you and your God. Then will you feel all the enormity of your sins, and you will no longer be able to excuse them as you have before. All the sins you have committed, in thought, word, or deed, will be examined; all the sins of indulgence, of omission, and of commission. [Here examine into the vast numbter of your sins] Everything will be weigher! in the great balance of divine justice, and if in anyone point you are found guilty, you will be eternally lost. My Jesus, thou who wilt be my judge, pardon me before thou judgest me. [Excite a tender sorrow for your sins , and make a firm resolution.]
II. Consider how the divine justice will judge all people in the valley of Jehosaphat, when, at the end of the world, their bodies will arise, that, together with the soul, they may receive reward or punishment according to their works. Remember that, if condemned, you will again receive your body, which will serve for the eternal prison of your soul. Then will the soul curse the body and the body the soul, so that body and soul, which are now united in the pursuit of forbidden pleasures, will be again united to torment each other after death. If, on the other hand, you are saved, then will your body arise in perfect beauty, radiant and incapable of suffering, so that both soul and body will be worthy of eternal life. Thus will this life, like an act of a drama, end. All the delight, as well as the pomp of this world, will end. All is over then. Nothing remains but two eternities, the one of glory and the other of punishment; one of bliss, the other of misery; one of joy, and the other of suffering; the just in heaven, the sinners in hell. [Examine how you stand , and especially with regard to your besetting sin.] Poor, then, will be that man who has loved the world, and who, for the miserable joys of this world, has lost everything — everything, soul, body, heaven, and God. [Awaken your contrition, and make a firm resolution.]
III. Consider the eternal sentence. Jesus Christ the judge will turn towards the reprobates, and say: It is all over with you; now, ungrateful souls, all is over ! My hour is now come; the hour of truth and justice, the hour of wrath and vengeance. “ Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.” (Matt, xxv.) Away, ye sinners. You have loved cursing, and now let it come upon you. Accursed be ye all, now and throughout all eternity ! Depart from my presence; go, deprived of all you possessed, laden with torments, go into eternal fire! [In view of this judgment, examine yourself on your besetting sin.]
Then will Jesus turn to the elect and say: Come, blessed children of my Father; come, receive the kingdom which is prepared for you; come, no more to bear the cross with me, but with me to wear the crown. Come and be heirs of my kingdom, companions of my glory; come to praise my mercy through all eternity; come from exile to your home, come from misery to joy, come from weeping to rejoicing, come from suffering to eternal rest! “ Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you.” O my Jesus! I also hope to be among these blessed ones. I love thee above all things. O give me thy blessing now ! And do thou, my mother Mary, bless me also.
MEDITATION FOR FRIDAY.
On Hell.
I. Contemplate for a moment that frightful prison of Hell, filled with fire, where the damned suffer eternally. Into this fire they are, so to speak, plunged and buried. Under them a sea of fire, over them a sea of fire, around on all sides fire — fire in the eyes, fire in the mouth, fire penetrating everywhere. There each and every sense has a torment of its own. The eyes are tormented by darkness and smoke, and, at the same time, by the sight of the devils and the rest of the damned. Day and night the ears hear nothing else but howling, and weeping, and cursing. The sense of smell is sickened by the insupportable stench of so many putrid and infected bodies. The taste is tormented by a burning thirst and a cruel hunger, while never can be had a drop of water or the least refreshment. And thus these miserable captives, suffering every want, devoured by fire, tormented by every pain, weep, groan, howl, and despair, whilst they cannot find, and for all eternity never will find, rest or consolation. O hell! hell f is it necessary that men should wait until they are swallowed by thy flames to believe in thee? You, who even now are reading this page, what do you say? [ Pause here awhile , and with this terrible truth in view , think on your besetting sin.] If you had to die this moment, where would you go? What you cannot bear even a spark of fire on your hand; and do you think to be able to live in an ocean of fire, where, abandoned by every creature, desolate and desperate, you will have to pass a never-ending eternity? [Encourage in your heart the deepest sentiments of contrition, and make a firm resolution.]
II. Consider well those pains which afflict the faculties of the soul in hell. The memory will be everlastingly tormented by the stings of conscience. This is that worm which will for ever gnaw in the conscience of the damned, to remind him how foolishly he consented to his own ruin for the sake of a few poisoned pleasures. O God! how will each moment of sinful pleasure appear to him then, after a hundred, after a thousand years spent in hell! That gnawing worm will recall to his mind the time which God gave him for conversion, all the opportunities and means he had to secure the salvation of his soul, the good example of his friends, all the holy resolutions made, alas ! but broken. [Examine yourself well on these points, and place before your eyes your predominant sin.] And then he will see that there is no longer any way of escaping from his eternal ruin. O God ! O God t What a double hell will this be! The will is doomed to be always thwarted; it will never have that which it desires, and will ever have that which it desires not, that is to say, every possible suffering. The understanding will see clearly what great rewards it has lost; namely, heaven and God 1 O God! my God 1 pardon me for the love of Jesus. [ Excite your heart to contrition, and make a firm resolution ,]
III. Sinner, you who now are so indifferent whether or not you lose heaven and God, you will know how great has been your blindness when you shall see the triumph and joy of the blessed in heaven, and you yourself driven like an unclean creature from that blessed home, cast out from the presence of God and the company of Mary, of the Angels and Saints of God. Then, in a frenzy of despair, you will exclaim: O heaven, O place of joy ! O God! O infinite good! thou art not for me, thou wilt never more be mine! Alas! poor sinner, do penance rather now! amend your life at once. Examine your conscience again , and place before you your besetting sin.] O yes, wait not till time with you shall be no longer! — give yourself wholly to God. Begin to love him truly. Pray to Jesus, pray to Mary, that they may have pity on you [ Make a fervent act of contrition and a strong resolution.]
MEDITATION FOR SATURDAY.
On the Eternity of Punishment.
I. Consider that hell has no end. There, all kinds of suffering are found, and for all eternity. Hundreds and thousands of years will pass in these torments, and yet hell will be always as if just beginning. Hundreds o£ thousands, hundreds of millions of years and of centuries will pass away, and hell will be still at its commencement. If at this very hour an angel should carry the tidings to one of the damned, I hat God had consented to free him from hell — and when? hear! when so many millions of centuries shall have passed away as there are drops of water in the ocean, leaves on the trees, sands in the sea and on the earth — you would shudder at this; but still it is true that such tidings would give greater joy to that soul, than you would feel if you were told that you had become the king of a great kingdom. Yes, certainly; for that poor damned sinner would say: It is true that many, many centuries will first pass by, but at length a day will come, in which my sufferings will end! Alas ! all these centuries will pass away, but hell will ever be beginning anew; all these centuries may be multiplied like the sands, the rain-drops, and the leaves, but hell is still beginning anew. Every lost soul would gladly, if he might, enter into this agreement with God: Lord! if it please thee, increase my pain! O Lord ! prolong my pains as long as it may please thee, I am satisfied; if it will only one day end, I am content. But no, this end will never come — never! But perhaps this poor lost sinner will delude and flatter himself, and say inwardly: Perhaps, God will one day have mercy on me, and deliver me from hell. No! the condemned soul will always have before his eyes the sentence of his eternal condemnation, and his language will be this: Alas! it is sure — too sure! all these torments which I now suffer, this fire, this sorrow, this cry of despair, will never end! never, never, O never! no, it will last for ever, for ever. O eternity! O hell! how is it possible that men believe in you and yet continue to live in sin ! [Look steadily here upon your besetting sin, and with eternity in view , excite your soul to contrition , and make a firm resolution. ]
III. My Christian friend, think well of this, and consider that hell is waiting for yon also, if you sin. Even now its horrid flames are burning under your feet, and Oh, at this moment, even while you are reading these words, how many souls are falling into it! Remember that when you have once entered there, you can never leave it. And if you have deserved hell, thank God that he has not yet cast you into it, and hasten as soon as possible to remedy the evil. Mourn for your sins and use all the means that are in your power for your salvation. Go frequently to confession, read daily some spiritual book, say the Rosary every day in honour of the Mother of God, that you may obtain a great devotion to her; fast, if possible, every Saturday in honour of Mary, resist temptations, and often call upon Jesus and Mary when you are tempted. Avoid the occasions of sin, and if God should call you to leave the world, then do it, yes, do it! Ah ! everything that we can do to avoid an eternity of suffering is little — is nothing. “No certainty can be too great, where we are in peril for eternity,” says St. Bernard. In order to place yourself in safety for eternity, no foresight is too far-reaching. See how many hermits, that they might avoid hell, have gone into caves and deserts, and there lived ! And what are you doing for your soul? what are you doing, you that have so often deserved hell? what are you doing? [ Think of your besetting sin.] See to it, that you are not lost. Give yourself once for all to God, and say to him : O Lord! behold me ready to do everything thou requirest of me. O Mary, help me! [Endeavour to arouse your will to the deepest contrition , and make a firm resolution.]