Preparation for Death , livre ebook

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151 pages

English

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A popular abridgement of the much larger original that loses none of its punch. Shows that life is short and Hell is real. Discusses the certainty of death, the uncertainty of the time, the death of the sinner, of the negligent Christian and of the just and how different they are. Also the habit of sin, delusions of the Devil, Particular and General Judgments, the pains of Hell and its eternity, the remorse of the damned, etc. Powerful incentives to aim for Heaven! Impr. 165 pgs, .

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

Christian theology

Catholic Church

Prayer

History of religions

Christianity

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Publié par	TAN Books
Date de parution	01 janvier 2010
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781618902696
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0300€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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Imprimatur: N. Card. Wiseman May 1, 1867
Originally published in 1857 by Burns, Oates and Washbourne, Ltd., London, England. Reprinted in 1972 by Marian Publications, South Bend, Indiana.
Copyright © 1972 Marian Publications
Copyright © 1982 TAN Books.
ISBN: 978-0-89555-174-0
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Cover design by Milographics, milo.persic@gmail.com.
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
TAN Books Charlotte, North Carolina www.TANBooks.com
1982
RESCRIPT OF HIS HOLINESS PIUS IX (Translation)
“MOST HOLY FATHER,
“The Bishop of Southwark in England, in representing to your Holiness how the Redemptorist Fathers have had the consolation to see an immense good result from the condescension with which your Holiness was pleased to praise the German edition of the works of St. Alphonsus, humbly begs to be authorised to bless, in the name of your Holiness, the translation already commenced, and in part published, of the pious works of St. Alphonsus in English.”
“ In an audience with his Holiness on the 13th of November 1853, our most holy Lord, by Divine Providence, Pope Pius IX, at the request of me, the undersigned Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, was graciously pleased to grant the above petition; charging, however, the conscience of the petitioner with faithfulness in the translation.
“Given at Rome, from the Palace of the Sacred Congregation, on the day and in the year as above.
“Gratis, &c. &c.
—A. B ARNABO , Secretary.”
Contents
Object of the Work
I. Portrait of a Man Who Has Recently Passed into the Other World
II. With Death All Ends
III. The Shortness of Life
IV. Certainty of Death
V. Uncertainty of the Hour of Death
VI. Death of a Sinner
VII. Sentiments of a Dying Negligent Christian, Who Has Thought Little of Death
VIII. The Death of the Just
IX. Peace of the Just at the Hour of Death
X. Means of Preparing for Death
XI. On the Unhappy Life of the Sinner, and The Happy Life of Him Who Loves God
XII. On the Habit of Sin
XIII. The Delusions Which the Devil Suggests to the Minds of Sinners
XIV. On the Particular Judgement
XV. On the General Judgement
XVI. On the Pains of Hell
XVII. On the Eternity of Hell
XVIII. The Remorse of the Damned
XIX. On Perseverance
A Collection of Classic Artwork
CONFESSION ITS FRUITFUL PRACTICE
1. The Blessings of Confession
2. The Five Things Necessary for a Good Confession
Examination of Conscience
False Consciences and Their Remedies — The Lax Conscience — The Scrupulous Conscience — The Doubtful Conscience — How to Make a Good Examination of Conscience.
Contrition
The Qualities of Contrition — Interior Contrition — Supernatural Contrition — Perfect and Imperfect Contrition — Universal Contrition — Sovereign Contrition — Relapses into Former Sins.
Purpose of Amendment
Occasions of Sin — Purpose of Amendment Must Be Specific.
Confession and Absolution
The Confession of Sins — Qualities of a Good Confession — Confession of Venial Sins — Sacrilegious Confessions — General Confession — Frequent Confession — The Absolution of the Priest.
Satisfaction
The Sacramental Penance — Voluntary Penances — Indulgences.
3. How to Make a Good Confession
The Examination of Conscience
Beginning Prayer — Points for the Examination of Conscience — The Ten Commandments of God — The Six Precepts of the Church — The Seven Capital Sins — Duties of Particular States of Life — Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Considerations to Excite Contrition
The Enormity of Sin — God’s Benefits to Me — The Love of Jesus Christ.
Prayers Before Confession
Act of Contrition and Purpose of Amendment — Prayer before a Crucifix — Prayer of St. Gertrude — A Short and Efficacious Act of Contrition.
An Easy Method of Going to Confession
Prayers After Confession
Psalm 102 — Prayer of Thanksgiving — Prayer before Performing the Sacramental Penance.
TO
MARY,
IMMACULATE AND EVER VIRGIN, FULL OF GRACE, AND BLESSED ABOVE ALL THE CHILDREN OF ADAM, THE DOVE, THE TURTLE-DOVE, THE BELOVED OF GOD THE HONOR OF THE HUMAN RACE, THE DELIGHT OF
THE MOST HOLY TRINITY: ABODE OF LOVE, MODEL OF HUMILITY,
MIRROR OF ALL VIRTUES: MOTHER OF FAIR LOVE, MOTHER OF HOPE, MOTHER OF MERCY: ADVOCATE OF SINNERS, DEFENCE AGAINST THE DEVILS, LIGHT OF THE BLIND, PHYSICIAN OF THE SICK: ANCHOR OF CONFIDENCE, CITY OF REFUGE, GATE OF PARADISE: ARK OF LIFE, RAINBOW OF PEACE, HAVEN OF SALVATION: STAR OF THE SEA, AND SEA OF SWEETNESS PEACEMAKER OF SINNERS, HOPE OF THE DESPAIRING, HELP OF THE ABANDONED: COMFORTER OF THE AFFLICTED, CONSOLATION OF THE DYING, AND JOY OF THE WORLD,
HER AFFECTIONATE AND LOVING, THOUGH VILE AND UNWORTHY SERVANT, HUMBLY CONSECRATES THIS WORK
Preparatory Prayer
C OME, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created; R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O God, who didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people by sending them the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort. Through Christ our Lord. Amen
PREPARATION FOR DEATH
Object of the Work: Necessary to be Read
Some persons desired of me a book of considerations on the eternal truths for such souls as wish to establish them selves more firmly, and to advance in a spiritual life: others required of me a collection of subjects adapted for missions and spiritual exercises. That I might not multiply books, labor, and expense, I determined to write the present work according to the following method, that it may serve both purposes. To make it useful for meditation to those who live in the world, I have divided these considerations into three points. Each point will form a meditation; and after each point, therefore, I have added affections and prayers. I beg of the reader not to be weary, if in these prayers he always finds petitions for the grace of perseverance and the love of God, since these are the two graces most necessary for obtaining eternal salvation. “The grace of divine love is that grace,” says St. Francis of Sales, “which contains in itself every grace, because the virtue of charity towards God brings with it all other virtues.” “All good things came to me together with her.” ( Wis. 7:11). Whoever loves God is humble, chaste, obedient, mortified, and, in fine, possesses every virtue. St. Augustine says: “Love God, and do what thou wilt;” yes, because he who loves God will endeavor to avoid everything that is displeasing to Him, and will seek solely to please Him in all things.
The other grace, of perseverance, is that which enables us to obtain eternal life. St. Bernard says, “that Heaven is promised to those who commence a good life; but it is given only to those who persevere.” 1 But this perseverance, according to the holy Fathers, is given only to those who ask for it. Hence St. Thomas asserts, “that in order to enter Heaven, it is necessary for a man after Baptism to pray continually.” 2 And our Saviour had already said: “We ought always to pray, and not to faint.” ( Luke 18:1). Neglecting this, many miserable sinners, after receiving pardon, do not continue in the grace of God; they are for given, but because they omit to ask of God the grace of perseverance, especially in time of temptation, they fall again. On the other hand, although the grace of perseverance is entirely gratuitous, and cannot be merited by any good works of our own, F. Suarez nevertheless declares that it is infallibly obtained by prayer; St. Augus tine having already said “that the gift of perseverance may be merited by supplication, that is, may be obtained by prayer.” 3 We will prove at length this necessity of prayer in another little work, which is already in press, and will soon be published, entitled On Prayer, as the great means, etc. * — a work which, although short, and consequently not expensive, has nevertheless cost me much labor, and I consider it highly useful for every sort of person: I say moreover unhesitatingly, that among all spiritual treatises there is not, nor can be, one which is more useful or more necessary than this on prayer as the means for obtaining eternal salvation.
In order that the present Considerations may be useful also to such priests as have but few books, or who have no leisure for reading, I have added texts from Scripture and passages from the holy Fathers; short indeed, but strong—such as they ought to be for sermons. I must observe, that each Consideration, with the three points, forms a sermon. For this end I have Portrait of a Man Who has Recently Passed endeavored to collect from several authors such striking sentiments as appeared to me most calculated to touch the heart; and I have inserted various such in brief, that the reader may select those that please him, and enlarge upon them afterwards at his pleasure. May all redound to the glory of God! I entreat my readers to recommend me to Jesus Christ, whether I be dead or alive, when they shall read this book; and I promise to do the same for all those who do me this charity. Live Jesus our love, and Mary our hope.
* In the vol. Christian Virtues of the present translation.—Editor
CONSIDERATION I
Portrait of a Man Who has Recently Passed Into the Other World
“Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return.”
Genesis 3:19
F IRST P OINT
Consider that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt re turn. The day will come when thou shalt die, and rot in a grave, where “worms shall be thy covering.” ( Isaias 14:11). The same fate awaits all, high and low, the prince and the peasa