The Last Mini-Series Post on Death and Advent: Part 15

Today, in our busy, noisy world, Catholics have less time and less quiet in which to contemplate death. I have tried to give a little time to this in Advent, as I have been reading St. Alphonsus' meditations on the last four things.

It is hard to concentrate on our own deaths. Very.

But, we must, and in this penitential time, we may well use our prayer time for such thoughts as suffering, death, judgement, heaven and hell.

Here is the last snippet I have chosen from the great saint.

The One Thing Necessary

1. One thing is necessary1: the salvation of our souls. It 
is not necessary to be great, noble, or rich in this world, 
or to enjoy uninterrupted health; but it is necessary to save our souls. 
For this has God placed us here: not to 
acquire honors, riches, or pleasures, but to acquire by our 
good works that eternal kingdom which is prepared for 
those who, during this present life, fight against and 
overcome the enemies of their eternal salvation. 
Ah, my Jesus, how often have I renounced heaven by 
renouncing Your grace! But, O Lord! I am more 
grieved for having forfeited Your friendship than for 
having lost heaven. Give me, O Jesus! a great sorrow 
for my sins, and mercifully pardon me. 

2. Of what consequence is it if a man be poor, lowly, 
infirm, and despised in this life, provided that in the 
end he dies in the grace of God and secures his salvation? 
The more he has been afflicted with tribulations, if he 
suffered them with patience, the more will he be glori- 
fied in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, 
what does it profit a man to abound in riches and honors, 
if, when he dies, he is lost forever? If we are lost, all 
the goods that we have enjoyed in this world will be re- 
membered only to increase our misery for eternity. 
O my God, enlighten me; grant me to understand that 
my only evil is to offend You, and my only good to 
love You. Enable me to spend the remainder of my 
days in serving You. 

3. Salvation is necessary, because there is no middle 
1 "Unum est necessarium." Luke 10. 42. 
[43] way - we must either be saved or lost. It will not do 
to say: I shall be satisfied with not going to hell; I shall 
not be concerned at being deprived of heaven. No; either 
heaven or hell; either forever happy with God in heaven 
in an ocean of delights, or forever trampled upon by 
devils in hell in an ocean of fire and torments: either 
saved, or lost; there is no alternative