Part seven (6): The Particular Judgment

Xxvii. the Particular Judgment

It is a most holy practice, when present at a deathbed, to kneel down at the moment the person dies, to adore the advent of the Son of God, who comes to judge that soul right there in the body, where it remains until it is consigned elsewhere by His judgment. It would be quite easy to prove that the Son of God thus comes to judge the soul at the hour of death, because several passages of Holy Scripture clearly speak of i t . This is not, however, the place to do so. All I have to say for the present is that if it is beneficial to adore the Son of God in the exercise of His judgment upon others at the hour of death, how much more should you adore Him in His coming for you and His judgment~ merit at the hour of your death. Therefore, you must render to Him now, freely and out of love, the honor that shall be obligatory when your end comes. Hence, this day shall be spent in this exercise, performed as follows:

1. 0 Jesus, Thou art the Saint of saints and Sanctity Itself, infinitely above all sin and imperfection. Yet, I behold Thee prostrate with Thy face to the earth at the feet of the All-just Father in the Garden of Olives, and the following day at the feet of Pilate, where the Eternal Father contemplates Thee as the Victim who has taken upon Himself all the sins of the world, giving Himself without reserve for the ransom of mankind. Thou hast taken the place of all sinners and borne the heavy judgment of our sins by dying on the Cross for our salvation. Thou dost accept that judgment with most perfect submission, most profound humility and most ardent love for Thy Father and for us. 0 Jesus, I adore and glorify Thee in this judgment and in all the holy dispositions of humiliation, contrition, submission and love with which Thou didst suffer to he judged and condemned to save us.

2. In honor of and in union with these dispositions, behold me prostrate at Thy feet, great Jesus, adoring Thee as my sovereign judge. I most willingly submit myself to Thy supreme power. I infinitely rejoice that Thou hast sovereign power over me and over all men and

angels. A thousand times I bless the Eternal Father for having given Thee this power. I affirm sincerely that if, to imagine the impossible, Thou didst not have this power, and I did have it, I would want to strip myself of it to give it to Thee; if I were not subject to Thy power to judge me, I should wish to subject myself voluntarily to that power, out of homage to Thy divine justice and to the condemnation Thou didst undergo from Thy Father during Thy holy Passion.

3. 0 Jesus, I adore Thee in Thy coming at the hour of my death and at the moment of Thy judgment of my soul. I adore now every aspect and detail of my particular judgment. May it please Thee to grant me now some measure of the divine light by which Thou wilt clearly show me every event of my whole life , compelling me to give an account of everything. Grant me a share in the zeal for justice with which Thou wilt be avenged for my offenses, so that I may from now on see my sins clearly and make reparation by perfect contrition, horror and detestation for these same sins.

4. 0 my God, how many sins I have committed against Thee all my life, by thought, word and deed, i n every way! They can not be numbered, I confess; and I accuse myself before Thee, Thy Blessed Mother, before all the angels and saints, and, if it be Thy holy will, before the whole world. I accuse myself of m y sins just as they are in Thy sight, as Thou knowest them. If only I could see my offenses as Thou scest them! If only I knew myself as Thou knowest me, and as I shall see and know myself in Thy light at the moment of judgment! How I shall be confounded and humiliated then by the realization of what I am! What horror m y crimes will awaken in me! What regret, what anguish at having so little loved and so greatly offended so transcendent a goodness as Thine! How quickly will I then accuse and condemn my own self! Indeed there will be no need of any other judge, for I shall be the first to pass sentence upon my own misdeeds and ignominy.

5. But why wait until that final hour? Lord, at this very moment I surrender myself to the zeal of Thy divine justice and to the spirit of Thy just hatred and righteous horror for sin. In honor of and in union with Thy extreme hatred of sin, I hate and detest all my sins; I hold them in abhorrence; I renounce them forever; I offer myself to Thee

to suffer for them all the penance Thou shalt order. Casting myself down before Thy face, in the ultimate depths of abjection, to which, 0 great God, I have deserved to be reduced by my sins, I pronounce against myself, in the presence of heaven and earth, that final sentence. Since I, who am nothing but a worm of the earth, a handful of ashes and mere nothingness, have in so many ways offended so exalted and great a majesty, there are no tortures, either on earth, in purgatory or in hell, capable of worthily expiating m y sin, without the intervention of Thy mercy and the power of Thy Precious Blood. For all these torments are finite, while the offense of my sins is infinite, since they offend an infinite majesty, and consequently deserve an infinite punishment.

So, my sovereign Judge, falling down once more at Thy feet, and in the nethermost depths of the bottomless pit of my sins, I adore and bless and love Thee with my whole heart, as pronouncing the sentence that Thou shalt pronounce at the hour of my death, and I voluntarily, with all the love possible to me, submit to this sentence, whatever it may be, telling Thee with the Royal Prophet, with all the power of m y will: "Thou art just, 0 Lord, and thy judgment is right" (Ps. 118, 137). And I most obediently accept anything it may please Thee to ordain in my regard, in time and eternity, giving myself to Thee to bear not only all the sufferings of Purgatory, in homage to Thy divine justice, but any other penalty Thou mayest impose upon me. I take no thought of what is to become of me nor of what is to be done to me in time and eternity, provided only that the wrong and dishonor I have done Thee may be made good, no matter what the cost.

And yet, 0 God of mercy, do not permit that I should be numbered among those who will never love Thee. 0 most merciful Lord, what am I that Thou deignest to open Thy blessed eyes to look upon me, to summon me into Thy presence in judgment and to exercise Thy justice upon me? It is all too true that I deserve Thy mercy far less than Thy justice. But, 0 Thou Saviour of my soul, remember that Thou didst will to be judged for me, and that Thou art most worthy that my sins should be forgiven in Thee, since Thou didst ask the All merciful Father to pardon them for me. And yet, Lord, enter not into judgment with Thy miserable and unworthy servant, but offer

for me to Thy Father the judgment Thou didst sustain for my sins, and pray that His divine forgiveness be granted, not to me but to Thee.

0 Father of Mercy, I confess that I have deserved to bear the stern weight of Thy judgments, and that I am not worthy that Thou shouldst give me the least grace, nor that Thou shouldst pardon the very smallest of my sins. I offer Thee the terrible judgment Thy Son sustained for my faults, and I implore Thee to pardon them, not to me, but to Thy Beloved Son, who begs Thy forgiveness on my behalf, and to give Him, also, all the graces I need for Thy service. All possible punishments in the world, visited upon me, are incapable of giving Thee fitting satisfaction for the very least of my crimes. Thy Son alone can make perfect reparation for the dishonor I have given Thee. And so I offer to Thee, and I implore Him to offer with me, all that He did and suffered in His whole life, and all the honor He ever rendered to Thee, whether by Himself or through His Blessed Mother, His angels and all His saints.

0 Mother of Mercy, Mother of Jesus, 0 angels and saints of Jesus, offer to God all your merits and works on my behalf and all the glory you ever gave Him, in satisfaction for my offenses and implore Him to treat me not according to the rigor of Hit justice, but the multitude of His mercies, in order that I may love and bless Him with you forever.

Ninth Day

Xxviii. Death and Burial

Since Jesus Christ, our Lord, willed to pass through all the phases of human life, in order to honor His Eternal Father and to bless and sanctify them for you, you should also have a holy zeal for honoring Him particularly in each of the phases of His life, and to consecrate all the states, in which you have been and are to be, to the honor of each aspect of His mortal life. Following this teaching, after you have adored Him i!i the last moment of His life, dedicating to Him your own last moment, it is now very appropriate to adore Him in the state

of death, in which He remained for three days, and to consecrate to Him the condition of death in which you are to be from the last moment of your life until the day of the general resurrection, as follows:

1. 0 Jesus, Thou art eternal life and the source of all life, yet I behold Thee cold in the darkness and shadow of death. I see Thee bid farewell, for a little while, to Thy most lovable Mother, to Thy dearly beloved apostles and disciples, and to all Thy friends left bathed in tears, in the greatest mourning and lamentation of all time. I contemplate Thy holy soul separated from Thy divine Body, with which it had so holy, so dose and so sublime a union. I see this same Body, more holy and sacred than all the heavenly bodies (I mean than all those in all the heavens, and more than the empyrean heaven itself), lying in a sepulchre, among the rocks in the dust. 0 my Jesus, I adore, praise and glorify Thee thus. I offer Thee all the honor rendered to Thee in this state by Thy holy Mother, by St. Mary Magdalen, by the holy apostles and disciples, by the angels, by the holy souls Thou didst free from Limbo and by the whole Church, with all the glory Thy Father gave Thee, and which Thou now enjoyest in heaven, in recompense for that humiliation Thou didst bear on earth. I offer Thee the state of death which will one day be mine, in honor of that state of death i n which Thou didst remain before the Resurrection. I offer Thee the separation from the company of m y friends and relatives that I shall one day have to bear, in honor of the most bitter separation which Thou didst suffer, torn from the most sweet company of Thy dearest Mother, of Thy dearly beloved apostles and disciples. I offer Thee all the sorrow and the tears of my relatives and friends in honor of the sorrow and tears of Thy harrowed Mother and sorrowing apostles. I offer Thee the separation of my soul from Thy sacred body. I offer Thee all the states of my soul, until its reunion with its body, whatever they may be, i n homage to the state in which Thy holy soul existed during the time it was separated from Thy body. I offer Thee the burial of my body and all the actions that shall be done in performing this burial, in honor of the burial of Thy holy body. In honor of and in union with the same love with which Thou, 0 good Jesus, didst will that Thy sacred body should lie upon the dust within

a hollow rock, and by which Thou hast so often given me this same body in Holy Communion, although I am nothing but a worm of the earth, I most willingly surrender my body to the ground and to the worms. I consent to be reduced to ashes and dust, but only on condition, 0 crucified Saviour, that all the grains of dust into which my flesh and bones shall crumble, may be so many voices praising and glorifying without interruption the adorable mystery of Thy burial, and that I may thus sing with the holy psalmist: Omnia ossa mea dicent, Domine quis similis tibi? "All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like to thee?" (Ps. 3 4 , 10).

2. 0 Divine Jesus, even though Thy body and soul were separated, nevertheless they are continually united to Thy divinity. Thus, they never ceased to be worthy of infinite honor and adoration. Therefore, I adore Thy holy soul in its descent into Limbo. I adore all that happened in Thy soul and all the efforts produced in the souls of the Holy Patriarchs in Limbo. I also adore Thy body in the tomb, in all its members, for there is no part of it that is not infinitely adorable. I adore you, 0 most holy eyes of m y Saviour's body. I adore you, 0, sacred ears of my God. I adore and praise you, 0 most blessed mouth and tongue of Him who is the Word and eternal utterance of the Father. I adore and bless you, 0 most divine hands and feet of my Lord. I adore and love you, 0 most amiable Heart of Jesus.

Alas, my Beloved, Thy perfect body is lifeless because of my sins! Those sacred eyes, that by their sweet aspect gave joy to all who came in contact with Thee, are now darkened by the shadow of death. Those holy cars, always open to hear the cries and prayers of all unhappy creatures, are now closed and hear no more. Those divine lips, which pronounced the words of life, have become mute and speak no words. Those blessed hands that wrought so many miracles are lifeless and still. Those holy feet, so often wearied for the salvation of the world, are no longer able to walk. But above all, the most loving Heart of my Jesus, the most exalted and noble throne of divine love, is without life or feeling. Ah, my Dear Jesus, who has brought Thee to this pitiable state? My sins and Thy love! Cursed and detestable sin, how I abhor you! 0 love of m y Saviour, may I love you, may I bless you without ceasing!

3. 0 Good Jesus, I surrender myself completely to the power of Thy holy love. I implore Thee by that love, to reduce me now into a state of death that may imitate and honor Thy state of death. Utterly extinguish in me the life of sin and of the old Adam. Cause me to die to the world, to myself and to all that i s not Thee. Mortify my eyes, ears, tongue, hands, feet, heart and all the other powers of my body and soul, so that I may no longer he able to see, nor hear, speak, taste, act, walk, love, think, will, nor make any other use of all the parts of my body or the faculties of my soul, save in accordance with Thy good pleasure, led by the guidance of Thy divine spirit.

4. 0 my Well-beloved Jesus, I give myself to Thee to derive the benefits of these words of Thy apostle: "You are dead: and your life is hid with Christ in God" (COL. 3, 3). Hide me utterly with Thee i n God. Bury my mind, my heart, my will and my being, so that I may no longer have any thoughts, desires, o r affections, any sentiments and dispositions other than Thine own. And just as the earth changes and transforms into itself the bodies buried within it, do Thou change and transform me completely into Thyself. Bury my pride in Thy humility, my coldness and tepidity in the fervor of Thy divine love, and all my other vices and imperfections into Thy holy virtues and perfections so that, just as the earth consumes all the corruption of the body buried in it, so all the corruption of my soul may be consumed and annihilated in Thy divine perfections.

5. 0 Mother of Jesus, I honor and revere thee in the state of thy death and burial. I offer thee all the honor then given thee by the angels and holy apostles. I thank thee for all the glory thou didst give to the death and burial of Thy Son by thine Own. I offer thee my own death and burial, imploring thee to obtain for me, by thy holy prayers, the grace that every aspect of my earthly end may pay everlasting homage to the death and burial of thy spotless self and of thy beloved Son, our Saviour.

Tenth Day

Xx1x. Entrance of the Soul Into Heaven and Undying Life

Even though we are most unworthy to see the face of God and to be admitted into the blessed company of the citizens of heaven, it is, nevertheless, most certain that the Father, the Son, the Spirit it, the Blessed Virgin, all the angels and all the saints eagerly d~desire to behold you soon joined with them, to be overwhelmed as they are in c torrents of the heavenly and unspeakable delights of divine lo which reigns with fulness in heaven. And we ought to have great trust that, in the goodness of God, this will one day he realized for us. Our greatest consolation in this world ought to be the thought and expectation of that day when we shall begin to love and glorify God in all perfection. What rejoicings we should voice with the Royal Prophet, at the vision and thought of that blessed day: Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi, i n domum Domini ibimus: I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord" (PS. 121, 1). 'Blessed are they who dwell in thy house, 0 Lord: they shall praise thee forever and ever." (PS. 83, 5).

Surely if you celebrate the day of your birth into the lift of grace by holy Baptism, how much more should you celebrate the feast of your entrance into heaven and your birth into the life of glory! Anticipate that day, and begin now to celebrate that feast by means of the following exercises:

1. 0 Jesus, I adore, praise and glorify Thee countless times at the moment of Thy triumphant entrance into heaven. I offer Thee all the glory, love and praises that were given to Thee in welcome by the Father, the Holy Spirit, Thy Blessed Mother and all the angels. I also honor Thy Blessed Mother in the moment of her assumption into Paradise. I offer her all the glory and praises that were given her by the Omnipotent Father, by her Beloved Son, Thyself, Thy Holy Spirit, all the angels and all the saints. I offer to Thee and to Thy glorious Mother, my own entrance into Paradise, which, I hope, by Thy great mercy, to make one day, in honor of the glorious and triumphant entry of Thy ascension and her assumption. 0 m y Most Adorable

Jesus, I desire to consecrate everything that ever was, is and shall be in me, in time and in eternity, to the honor and homage of Thee and Thy most holy Mother.

2. 0 Most Admirable and Most Adorable Trinity, I adore, bless and magnify Thee infinitely for all that Thou art in Thy manifold works of mercy and justice toward me and to all Thy creatures, in heaven, on earth and in hell. I offer Thee all the adoration, love, glory, praise and benediction accorded Thee forever. 0 my God, how I rejoice to behold Thee so full of greatness, of marvels,,of glory and joy! It is enough. I desire no other glory, felicity or happiness, in eternity save to behold the incomprehensible glory, felicity'\and happiness of Him whom I love more than myself. 0 my glory and my love, may all heaven and earth be transformed into glory and love for Thee I Finally, I sacrifice myself all to Thee to be sacredly annihilated and consumed forever in the most pure fire of Thy divine love.

3. 0 Jesus, Thou only object of my love, with what love, with what praises can I ever repay Thee for all that Thou art in Thyself, and for all t~e innumerable effects of Thy goodness towards all Thy creatures, myself in particular? Lord, may all Thy creatures, all Thy angels and saints, Thy Blessed Mother, and all the powers of Thy divinity and humanity be employed in blessing and loving Thee forever.

4. 0 Mother of God, 0 holy angels, 0 blessed saints, I hail, honor and thank you all in general, and each one in particular, especially those to whom I owe some special obligation and with whom I am to be most closely associated in eternity. In thanksgiving for all the favors I have received from you, and much more for all the glory and services you have rendered to my God, I offer to each one of you the most amiable Heart of my Jesus, source Of all joy, all glory and all praise. I give you my mind and my heart; unite them with your minds and hearts and associate me in your constant chorus of praise to Him who created me, that I may praise and love Him eternally with you. Pray ardently that I may bless and love Him through you, while awaiting the day when it may please Him to unite me with you .to love and glorify Him to perfection.

5. 0 blessed day, when I shall begin to love most purely and perfectly my Lord and Saviour who i s infinitely amiable! 0 thousand

times happy day in which I shall begin to be all love for him who is all love for me! 0 Jesus, my sweet love, how consoled. I am when I think that I shall love and bless Thee eternally! My eyes dissolve in tears and m y heart melts with joy at the sweetness of the thought that some day I shall he completely transformed into praise and love for Thee. But, alas, when will it come, this day, so longed for and a thousand times desired? Will it yet delay for long? Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est! "Woe is me, that my sojourning i s prolonged" (Ps. 119, 5). Usquequo, Domine, oblivisceris me in finem, usqueque avertis faciem tuam a me? "How long, 0 Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end? How long dost thou turn away thy face from me" (PS. 12, 1)? Quaemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus (Ps. 4 1 , 2).

No more the hunted stag desires,

Fleeing in woe and weariness,

Waters to quench his burning thirst,

Than my poor heart with sadness pressed

Sighs after Thee, 0 Lord, my rest

My heart is driven nigh to death

By cruel desires, merciless,

And longs for Thee, Lord, Mighty God,

And in its longing, cries apace

When shall my eyes behold Thy face?

When, ah, when will come that day

To take my earthly woes away

And bring me home at last to Thee?

While waiting for that day, I desire, 0 my Saviour, to realize in myself St. Paul's words: "Our conversation is in heaven" (Phil. 3, 20), as well as Thy words of reassurance and guidance: "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17, 21). 1 desire to live on earth as though I were not here, but living by m y heart and spirit in heaven. I desire to concentrate all my powers on the establishment of the kingdom of

Thy glory and holy love within myself. But Thou knowest, Lord, that of myself I can do nothing; therefore, I give myself to Thee, that Thou mayest destroy every obstacle and perfectly establish the kingdom of Thy pure love in my body, in my soul, and in all my thoughts, words and actions.