Book IV, Chapter IX

A perfect contempt of the world, .will give us great confidence we shall die happily

JOn these words) — “A perfect contempt of the world... L give us great confidence we shall die happily.” B. i. c. 23

Question. — What is the best preparation for death?

Answer., — As regards those who have long ago set

TO STRIP SELF OF 8ELF

; their conscience in order, and who aspire to perfection, it is to try to purify their ‘heart in such manner as to have no remaining attachment or affection to present things. Now there are different degrees of purity and inward separation from all things, according to which the preparation for death will be more or less perfect.

The first degree is to have such a horror of deadly sin, as to avoid all occasions of it, and to fear nothing so much as sullying the conscience. The second is to avoid even venial sins, and especially those which are committed of deliberate purpose; so that neither through a self-indulgent spirit, nor through human considerations, nor through passion, should we ever I permit ourselves any thing which we see plainly to be I evil and unpleasing to God. This purity is great; it; is the distinctive character of the children of God; this it is also which will give the most assurance in the i hour of death. But the third degree, that of which we would now speak, adds to the two others a firm resolve not to allow the slightest attachment to any 1 creature whatever, neither to places, persons, or em-; ployments; in a word, to nothing which nourishes and foments self-love.

When a soul has made a general renunciation of all, when, after the labour of many years, she has at i length arrived at such a state that nothing in the world is capable of giving her pain, or of attracting and l charming her, then is she free; she is able to fly like the dove sent forth from the ark, and to rise to Heaven, to repose there in the arms of her Creator. When death draws near, God not only liberates her from all fear, but He gives her also a sure hope of salvation. She has become so pure, that she appears to have regained her original purity, since, with the ornaments of grace and virtue, she now remains only that simple substance which she had when she came forth from the hands I of God.

PREPARES FOR A BLESSED DEATH. 171

Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither. Job i. 21. These words may be applied to the soul when truly purified and freed from all earthly affection. She came forth from the baptismal font perfectly clean, adorned with the Grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, pleasing in the eyes of the Lord, free from all evil habits, in extreme ignorance of evil, in perfect innocence, and in a state to go directly to God. But innumerable pleasing objects having been since presented to her eyes in the intercourse of the world, she has begun to know and enjoy them; has suffered herself to be taken by them, and lost her first purity. At length, having resolved to turn to God, she has so completely renounced herself, and all created things, that she has regained her freedom; her bonds are broken, and nothing now hinders her from returning to the bosom of God; for if the weight of her sins had, as it were, pressed her down and bound her to the earth, she has set herself free by penitence; she has liberated herself from all. God has restored to her His Grace, and has anew inflamed her with His Love, and this Divine flame draws her with it to Heaven. A man thus purified and detached from creatures, finds himself even in this life perfectly free, and hindered by no obstacle from mounting to God.

Many feel in themselves an indescribable weight which presses them down, and fills them with languor and weakness of which they cannot imagine the cause; they feel themselves inclined to be remiss, to satisfy their desires in many respects, to throw themselves on outward things. This is because they I have wearied themselves in the pursuit of many objects incapable of satisfying them, and because the I accomplishment of their desires has become a heavy burthen to them. When a soul, noble and faithful to God, has broken her attachments, when she has freed q 2 I

172 TO STRIP SELF OF SELF i herself, she begins to breathe an air so pure and so i sweet, that none can speak of it but those who know it I by experience. It is this which fills her with confidence when she thinks of death; and when the hour is; come, far from fearing, she feels inconceivable joy.

It is related in the life of the famous doctor Francis 1 Suarez, of the Company of Jesus, that when his last hour approached, the abundance of consolations with which his soul was filled, caused him to say these I words, “ I had not thought that it had been so sweet I to die.” This sentiment proceeded from the admirable purity which he had- acquired by entire privation of worldly things.

Serenity and joy are ordinarily depicted on the faces of the Saints when they are about to die. Not very long ago I was attending a monk at his death, and being alone with him, I heard him suddenly utter so loud a cry, that I feared some violent pain had I come over him. I approached his bed to see if I could I relieve him; but I found that it was only an exclamaj tion caused by joy proceeding from the sure hope of that everlasting happiness to which God called him. This holy man throughout his life had proposed to himself to seek God Alone in all things. And therefore when he felt his end near, he passed some hours in such transports of delight, that his heart in very deed suffered from them, and he appeared like a man whose breath was impeded by pain. The weakness of his body could no longer endure the excess of his joy.

I remember also that in my youth I was in a place where an ancient Religious, very spiritual and much mortified, was dying. His illness was a violent colick, which quickly carried him off. Directly he was alone, he conversed with Jesus Crucified in so tender a manner, that all in the house were much affected, and they quitted all to come and hear him

at the door of the infirmary. I then reflected that such perfect joy, peace, and tranquillity, with so; much devotion, could be the fruit of nothing but the purity of a soul entirely dead to the world, and having no love but for God Alone.

I Every one thinks thus on these occasions; but there are very few who do not yield to the tendency of corrupt nature, and who, for want of resolution, do i not return to their old habits, and crawl on till death without ever liberating themselves from those bonds i which will then be broken without their consent, and which the desire of liberty should have led them to break long before.

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HOW TO BE WHOLLY UNKNOWN.