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CONVERSION
CHAPTER 24 Purgatory Here or Hereafter
CHRIST: MY CHILD, do not expect to find peace until you have overcome a variety of troubles and opposition. If you say that you cannot bear much suffering now, how will you be able to endure the purifying pains of Purgatory hereafter?
2. The patient man finds a cleansing purgatory in this earthly life. When others wrong him, he is more sorry that evil is done than that he has been wronged. He forgives the evil-doer from the bottom of his heart. He is not slow to ask pardon when he himself has hurt others. He is more easily moved to pity than to anger. He frequently disregards his feelings and tries to live above them, according to his intelligence and My grace.
THINK: Either here on earth or hereafter in Purgatory I must make up for each fault I commit. Nothing tainted will be allowed to enter Heaven. I can purify my soul now by following the example and words of Christ, my Redeemer. He gained for me the grace to conquer sin and error. Now I must do my part by living a holy life. If I refuse, and die in venial sin, I'll have to make it up in Purgatory. If I die in mortal sin, I shall condemn myself to hell forever.
PRAY: My Jesus, you fulfilled Your Father's Will largely by Your patience during Your earthly life. Therefore, it is only right that I, a miserable sinner, should be patient in my own daily life. Even though this present life may feel like a burden, still, by the help of Your grace, it is a great opportunity to earn heavenly merit. Your holy example and the lives of Your saints, make this life lighter and more bearable for those who take time out each day so as to see more clearly Your way to Heaven. Amen.
Book One: The Way of Purification
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 23 Striving for Compunction
CHRIST: MY CHILD, unless a man tries hard to acquire a holy sorrow for his sins, he is not worthy of My heavenly consolation. Are you doing your best to acquire this compunction?
2. This grace will reach you more easily if you will turn your back, for a while, on your daily distractions. Come aside more often, to be alone with Me. Reflect on My gifts and your misuse of them. Be honest and face the truth. Reading and reflecting will help you to realize the wickedness of all sins, even smaller ones. Do not look for new theories and mere curiosities, but stick to solid everyday truth, truth which will improve your daily life.
3. In solitude and quiet you will discover the hidden treasures of Holy Scripture. As you become more intimate with Me, your Creator, you will make great progress. You will find tears to wash and purify your soul. You will also have a deep interior joy as My holy angels and I draw near to you. Learn to pray and labor unseen by the eyes of men.
4. Slowly, as the gift of compunction fills your soul, you will be filled with fresh vigor. As you become more eager to make up for your sins, you will find hard things becoming easier.
THINK: Jesus said that certain devils are driven out only by prayer and fasting. This shows that some of God's gifts are given only if we do our part to prepare ourselves for them. Compunction will be lasting and fruitful only if I make a sincere personal effort to receive it worthily and apply it wisely. Through solitude, prayer, reading, and meditation, I will understand how I can best receive and use compunction in my daily life.
PRAY: O holy and merciful Father, fill my soul with true compunction. Make me honest in admitting my sins, and determined in overcoming them each day. I need Your assistance, so that I may not be a coward, but may make a sincere daily effort to please You more in all my activities. Help me to abandon anything in life which is opposed to Your holy gift of compunction. Amen.
Book One: The Way of Purification
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 22 Compunction of Heart
CHRIST: MY CHILD, how can any man abandon himself to the pleasures of this earthlylife? Such people do not appreciate the miserable condition of their souls, nor the rapid passing away of this brief experience. They do not stop to think and to look beneath the surface of their daily activities. They laugh when they have many reasons to weep. Happy is he who can overcome the distractions which hinder him from straight thinking.
2. As for you, strive to develop within yourself a genuine compunction of heart. Compunction is a deep and lasting sorrow for your sins. It is not a gloomy nor depressing sorrow, but an intelligent admission of your sins and a sincere determination to do something about them. Since compunction comes from a realization of how you have failed so good a God, it brings with it a readiness to accept anything from My Hand.
3. Compunction opens the way to many blessings and precious graces. When compunction fills your soul, the world will lose its magic attraction and will become more distasteful to you. Compunction will help you realize how quickly earthly joys pass away, while eternity goes on forever. You will see clearly that your sins have off ended Me. One who has genuine compunction, is honest enough to admit his sins, and is truly sorry for them. His sorrow is proved by his sincere efforts to be rid of his faults.
THINK: Compunction is a great grace by which God helps me to face the truth about my sins. It also helps me to prove my sorrow for my faults. By compunction a man begins to attack his faults and to practice the opposite virtues. I can be sure of my sincere sorrow only when I have begun to do something about my faults. Compunction is a lasting sorrow because it is not an emotion, but rather an intelligent admission of facts. It shows me my faults, God's goodness, and my own need to change for the better. Then it helps me undertake the daily task of abandoning my faults and acquiring the opposite virtues.
PRAY: Lord, I want to live a cheerful life, but I do not want that kind of cheerfulness which refuses to admit the truth. I can admit my sins and still be cheerful, as long as I am doing my best to overcome and make up for these sins. I do not want any gift or talent which might make me proud, or worse in any way. Not everything that is high is holy; nor is every pleasant thing good. Good desires are not always unselfish. You, my Lord, are not always pleased with the things that we prize. It is far better to have compunction than to be able to talk about it. Grant me genuine compunction, so that I may hate my sins and daily fight against them. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 21 Holy Fear of God
CHRIST: MY CHILD, if you desire to make progress along the way to Heaven, keep in your heart a holy fear of the Divine justice. It is only reasonable that you should be afraid to hurt yourself. When you bring sin into your life, you are making yourself an object of My justice. I, the Eternal Truth, cannot accept you as good if you have become bad by sin. Therefore, keep your earthly desires under control and refuse to surrender yourself to unnecessary or dangerous pleasures. This holy fear of My justice will help you to stay free of the slavery of earthly attractions.
2. It is not very wise to think only of having a pleasant time and to forget your spiritual needs. It is reasonable and good for you to be afraid of losing My graces. Without them you can never reach the perfect life and happiness of Heaven.
3. If your love of Me is not yet strong enough to hold you back from doing wrong, then let your fear of hell keep you from sinning. A man who lacks this wise and holy fear, will not go on doing good for long. He will soon fall into Satan's snares, as he becomes more careless in avoiding temptations. This fear is a holy thing because it is given by Me. It makes a man strong in the daily battle against his unreasoning and selfish desires.
4. Even the saints, with all their confidence in Me, had this fear of Divine justice. They knew the weakness and blindness of human nature. They were not less careful, nor less humble, because of their great virtues and many graces.
THINK: If my love of God ever fails to hold me back from sin, it will be because my self-love is strong at the moment. Yet, even then I can make a last effort against this misguided love by the thought of God's justice, which will deal with me as I deserve. It is a foolish man, indeed, who will refuse to consider the harm that can overtake him if he follows a certain path. This holy fear of God's justice is "the beginning of wisdom" because it guides men on to a holier life.
PRAY: My God, I do not want to presume so much on Your love as to forget Your justice. You will some day deal with each man according to his works. I desire to make good use of all the gifts which Your love daily sends me. May I never forget that I must one day account for my misuse of these gifts. This thought will help me to fight sin and to please You more in my daily life. Amen.
Book One: The Way of Purification
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 20 The Pains of Hell
CHRIST: MY CHILD, I have proved My goodness by My numberless gifts to men. They cannot mention a single good thing in their daily life which does not belong to Me. My love for them was proved by My earthly life of labor, work, suffering and prayer to obtain forgiveness for their sins. Anyone who takes time to think of what I deserve, cannot deny that he owes Me more than he can ever repay. Yet, in spite of My goodness and love, some people choose to walk away from Me. They refuse to follow My directions. As a result they fall into sin. Though I made them for Heaven, they shall never see it because they are refusing to do what it takes to get there.
2. Hell was made for the devil and his rebel angels. Man was made for Heaven. In refusing to live for Heaven, a man chooses to exist without Me. He shall have his wish - he shall join the rebel angels in hell. In refusing to follow My law, a man actually turns his back on Me as the fallen angels did. If he dies in this condition, he condemns himself to hell. The jury which convicts him is his own sinful life. I merely pronounce sentence on what he himself has chosen.
3. There is nothing on earth which can compare with hell. It is beyond all description. One must see it to know it. Though I may try to give you some small idea of it in this chapter, remember, this is a tiny and very imperfect idea of the real thing. Words fall far short of the reality which is hell. I make no threats here. I simply want you to face this fact: Unless you live for Heaven, you shall one day be in hell.
4. All the sufferings known to man are as nothing in comparison with the sufferings of hell. The wise man would rather bear any trial on earth than place himself in danger of hell. One single hour of hell will be harder than a hundred years of suffering on earth. In this earthly life people have some rest from their labors and trials. They get some measure of consolation from their friends. In hell, however, there is no rest, no consolation, and no friends.
5. The fires of hell will never die. There will be no end to suffering. One will find no comfort in knowing that he has been there a thousand years. He can never hope for an end to his tortures. All the other sufferings would be bearable if only the damned could hope for relief. Despair is hell's bitterest pain.
6. In hell a man will be punished through the same faults by which he sinned on earth. Each sin will have its own particular torment. The lazy will be forced to work continuously. The gluttonous will be tormented with extreme hunger and thirst. The proud will be filled with confusion, and the greedy will feel the pinch of miserable want.
7. And yet, the worst pain of hell is none of these. The people in hell would gladly bear all of this and much more if only they could hope for My friendship and love, no matter how long it might take, be it even a billion years from now. Their keenest torment is that they have forever lost Me, the Source of all true joy and perfect happiness. This suffering makes hell the home of despair and undying hatred.
8. My child, follow My Will in your daily life, and you need never fear hell. In fact you have every reason to be joyful and merry if you are following My commandments and using My sacraments. Do not condemn yourself to hell by refusing to obey My directions. I love you dearly. Do not prevent Me from taking you to Heaven.
THINK: Hell is a fact. Christ, Our Lord, pointed this out time and again during His earthly life. Whoever rejects this fact is simply denying the word of Christ. He is God. He proved His divine power many times during and after His earthly life. His word is truth. He preached the truth of hell and continues to preach it today through His Church and Holy Scripture.
PRAY: My Jesus, many find too hard a command in the words: "Deny yourself, take upyour cross, and follow Me." Yet a much harder command will be: "Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire." If I become so impatient with a little suffering now, how can I ever stand hell? I cannot expect to have unrestricted enjoyment on earth and still rejoice with You in Heaven. Therefore, dear Lord, that I may be safe from eternal punishment, let me do my best in bearing the burdens of this earthly life. Let me prefer to suffer on earth or even die now rather than commit a mortal sin. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 19 God's Standards
CHRIST: MY CHILD, on the Day of judgment the rags of the poor will shine more brilliantly than the fine clothes of those who loved this earthly life too much. The homes of the poor will be honored more than the comfortable mansions of the rich. In that hour the patience of My loyal followers will have greater merit than the human might of this world. Simple obedience to My laws will be more highly praised than all earthly cleverness.
2. In the Day of Truth a pure and good conscience will bring more joy than mere learning. The man who refused to sin for earthly gain, will be the envy of those who lived only for this world. You will have more consolation for having prayed devoutly than for having enjoyed earth's pleasures and comforts.
3. Then you will be glad of the prayerful silence you observed, rather than for having talked a great deal. Good works will be of greater value than good words. Self-control and healthy penance will be more pleasing to you than all the delights of earth.
THINK: How different are God's standards from those of worldly men. Is it any wonder that those who live God's way seem to live a foolish life? Yet the real fools are those who disagree with God's standards. Christ is sure to triumph at the judgment, and those who follow His standards are certain to triumph with Him.
PRAY: My Jesus, can I be fool enough to live by any other standard than Yours? Let me embrace Your standards in my daily life. Though I may find life harder, I will not complain as long as I know that Your Will is guiding me. Through the Church and the Scriptures, You promise to lead me to a happy judgment and a joyful eternity. I hope to be a loyal follower of Yours each day of my earthly life. Amen.
Book One: The Way of Purification
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 18 The Day of Judgment
CHRIST: MY CHILD, those who are loyal to My commandments in this life, will not be in terror on the Day of Judgment. The sign of the cross will appear in the sky when I come to judge the world. Then all my loyal followers, the followers of the cross, will come with great confidence to Me, their crucified King and judge.
2. On that day, the just shall stand against those who annoyed and persecuted them. Those who humbly bore the judgments of their fellowmen, will rise to judge the rest on that day. The poor and the humble will have great confidence and joy, but the proud and the selfish lovers of this world will have many reasons to be afraid.
3. In that hour everyone will see that the wisest people were those who preferred to follow My commandments and live My way. They will no longer be considered fools by the worldly-minded. All wrong-doing will be silenced and condemned, while every suffering endured with patience, will bring joy and gladness. The unreligious will be sad, but My devoted followers will be filled with happiness. Many will thank Me for the hardships and trials which they bore on earth. That day will show forth My power, wisdom, and majesty.
THINK: Like a river that flows ever onward toward the sea, the current of daily life moves ever onward toward the Day of judgment. That day will correct the wrong standards and foolish ideals of worldly men. It will be the Day of Truth, the triumph of holiness. Will I drift along on my daily course or will I regularly check my direction by an intelligent self- examination? I prepare for a joyful judgment or a fearful one by the kind of life I live today.
PRAY: O Jesus, My judge and King, I refuse to drift along each day until death takes me by surprise. I want to follow Your standards as You speak to me today through Your Church. Tell me how You want me to live and I hope to follow Your every wish. I need not fear the judgment if only I will be loyal to You in my daily life. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 17 The Coming Judgment
CHRIST: MY CHILD, you must one day give a full account of your earthly life. How will you stand before Me, the just judge, from Whom nothing is hidden? I take no bribes and accept no excuses. At present you can take advantage of My Divine Mercy. When this earthly life is over, you will receive strict justice.
2. Can you be so great a fool as to go on putting off your good resolutions, when pardon can be so easily obtained now? If you go on postponing your resolutions, how will you face My Divine justice-you who are sometimes frightened by an angry fellow-human?
3. Why not begin today to prepare for the day of judgment? You will find it far less terrible if you begin now to live as I command. On the day of judgment no man can be excused or defended by another. Each one will find it difficult enough to answer for his own sins.
THINK: While I am on earth, my efforts are useful, my tears are acceptable, my sorrow has power to purify my soul. God desires to forgive me here and now. It is better to wash away my sins and correct my bad habits now, rather than leave them for purification after death. I am deceiving myself when I follow my feelings and put off my repentance and resolutions.
PRAY: Lord, let me think of my sins and be sorry for them, so that on the day of judgment, I may enjoy security with Your angels and saints. Teach me to do penance in little things now, so that I may not be subjected to worse sufferings hereafter. True, I should do all of this in loyalty to You. Yet, I am so selfish that I must have some fear to spur me on when my love for You fails. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 16 Being Ready for Death
CHRIST: MY CHILD, your actions and thoughts should always be as orderly as though you expected to die this day. If you are unprepared today, how will you be prepared tomorrow? Tomorrow is uncertain. How do you know that you will be alive tomorrow? If you have ever seen person pass away, just reflect that you too must pass away as he did.
2. You can do many good works while you enjoy good health, but when you are sick, who knows what you will be able to do? Few people are improved by sickness. So too, those who have too many worldly interests seldom increase in holiness, because they are full of distractions. Recollection and prayer are the seeds of a good life; and a good life is the path to a holy death.
3. It is better to provide for yourself while you are still here in this life. Do not rely on the prayers and help of others after your death. The present time is precious. Now is your opportunity. This is your day of salvation. Spend today profitably. Send your prayers, sacrifices and good works to Me before you come to Me to be judged. It is within your power to earn eternal life by a wise use of this present time.
4. Think often of death, and remember that time lost will never return. You have not a lasting dwelling on this earth. In this life you are like a traveler. You will never have rest until you are united with Me, your Saviour.
THINK: Few things are certain in this earthly life. The most certain fact of all is that I am to die. When? Where? How? I know not. That I shall die, however, is certain. Many people are dying at this very moment. I am too busy with my own life to give much thought to them. So will it be when I am dying. That moment will be very important to me, but the world will go right on about its business. If I do not prepare for death by a good life, I am a fool.
PRAY: Lord, let me not fear death with an empty fear, but with a wise and holy fear. An empty fear does not make men any better, but a wise and holy fear urges them to improve their lives. I will prepare for death by trying today to please you more and more in my thoughts, desires, words and actions. If I live this day as You desire, I shall be ready at any moment, and death will be nothing worse than Your loving call. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 15 The Peace of a Good Conscience
CHRIST: MY CHILD, if you have a good conscience, you need not have any fear of death. It is better to try to avoid sin than to try to escape death.
2. A wise man reflects often on the hour of death, so as to be prepared for it at all times.
3. If you want to please Me, try to become today the kind of man you would like to be at the time of your death. Make this effort, and death will find you full of confidence and peace. For this must you daily strive: a healthy contempt for worldly comforts, a burning desire to advance in virtue, a love of right order in your actions, a spirit of penance, readiness to obey authority, self-discipline, and patience to bear adversity for My sake.
THINK: A good conscience means that I have honestly tried to learn what God desires of me, and I have sincerely tried to do what He desires. Without these two efforts there is no good conscience. A man who knows that he has really made those two efforts, has a good conscience. To such a man, God gives His peace. Others may be distracted with earthly activities and interests, but they do not have that interior peace which can remain calm even in the face of death.
PRAY: My God, I hope to obtain Your holy assistance so that I may never avoid learning Your holy Will, nor ever fail to follow it in my daily life. I may find a little less pleasure if I follow Your Will, but I shall enjoy Your peace, which is greater than any pleasure. If ever I become selfish enough to avoid Your Will, let my conscience disturb and annoy me until I return to You. Amen.
Book One: The Way of Purification
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 14 Man's Last Moments
CHRIST: MY CHILD, when your last hour arrives, you will see this earthly life in a new light. If you were neglectful and careless about My law, you will have great regret. If you lived as I desire, your heart will be full of joy.
2. The time is coming when you would like to have another day, or even one more hour, to make up for the past. Take your day and your hour now that you have the time. Who can guarantee you another hour when you feel life slipping away?
3. Death may come at any time. Always be ready for it. In this way you will be free of fear or danger, no matter when My angel calls you from this life. Live in such a way that the hour of death may bring you joy rather than fear.
4. Never love any earthly thing too much. Place your confidence in Me and look to Me as your greatest Treasure. I am far more to you than you can even suspect. A weak soul is enslaved by its earthly desires and loves. The prayerful man gains a heavenly liberty from this life, a liberty which is not understood by worldly men.
THINK: No matter what my interests may be, or how important they may seem, when death comes, I will leave everything and go to my judgment at once. Others will take my place and assume my importance and my activities. Few people know that their death is near. Most men are surprised by the arrival of death. To those who love God, it is a cause of joy. To those who love this earthly life too much, it is a painful parting.
PRAY: My God, make me wise in my esteem for the work, the pleasures, the honor and the successes of this earthly life. Let me want nothing that might separate me from You. My first interest shall be to please You, to do everything as You desire. In this way, I hope to be ready for eternity every moment of the day. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 13 Nearness of Death
CHRIST: MY CHILD, in a little while this earthly life of yours will be over, just how ready are you to enter into the next Life? Man exists today, and tomorrow he is seen no more. When he is out of sight, he is quickly also out of mind. The human heart can be so dull and hard! It fixes its attention on things present. It often fails to provide for the things that are to come.
2. In the morning consider for a moment the fact that you may not live till evening. When evening comes do not be too confident that you will see the next morning. These thoughts should not make you gloomy, but practical. Live in such a way that death will never find you unprepared. Live each day as you would want to live the last day of your life. Too many die suddenly and unprepared. I have warned everyone: "The Son of Man will come at that hour when He is not expected."
3. How many have deceived themselves into thinking that they still had plenty of time. They were snatched unexpectedly from this life. How often have you heard that someone was killed in a fight; another was drowned; another fell and broke his neck? This man died while sitting at table. That one passed away while enjoying a game. Some die by fire; some by violence; some are destroyed by disease; some are killed at the hands of robbers. Thus death brings an end to all, and man's life suddenly passes away like a fleeting shadow.
THINK: Why should I refuse to face facts? Will I die any sooner if I think of death? Or am I going to escape death if I never think of it. The most terrible death which can come to me is the death which will find me in mortal sin. Every other aspect of death is a passing thing, but this last phase — the unprovided death — will hurt me forever.
Death, with all its uncertainties, is a fact. I should face facts and see what can be done about them. What can I do about death? I can live in such a way that no matter when death comes, it will find me in sanctifying grace.
PRAY: Lord, for those in mortal sin, death is the gateway to hell, but for those in sanctifying grace, it is the pathway to Heaven. Let my greatest desire in life be to live in such a way that I can die fearlessly at any moment. Let me fear sin more than death or any other earthly harm. Amen.
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