The Last Things

“God wants that everyone be saved; no one is predestined to go to hell; Jesus died for everyone; and everyone is given sufficient grace for salvation.”
Gabriele Amorth

For Reflection:
How reassuring are these words! God desires my salvation, has sent His Son so it can be acquired, and is giving me the graces I need to attain it! What grace for salvation is He offering me today?
(Hint: What prompting of the Holy Spirit am I experiencing – the need for confession, a way to help a friend or loved one, an act of charity or almsgiving, etc.)

The Last Things

“At the particular judgment the soul will be judged about every single thing – its thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions.”
Cardinal Gasparri

For Reflection:
How would my thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions stack up today? Would they show a love of God and neighbor? Why or why not? In light of all this, what interior dispositions need to be converted?

The Last Things

“It is appointed for men to die once and then the judgment.”
Hebrews 9:27

For Reflection:
Our culture is awash with many false ideas about death. One is the concept of reincarnation. How does this scripture passage refute this idea? This verse also talks about “the judgment.” What do I think this means? On what will I be judged? How would that go if it were to happen today?
(See tomorrow’s Grace Line for some indication.)

The Last Things

“If so many people believe in heaven and hell while also believing that this life will determine which destination will be theirs, why don’t we see more evidence of that belief?
Regis J. Flaherty

For Reflection:
What do I believe about heaven and hell? Does my life show evidence of that belief? 

Up At EWTN

Hello Dear Friends,

Father Edmund Sylvia, C.S.C., Tom Sullivan, and myself are at EWTN this week taping programs for Women of Grace. I sure do welcome your prayers for us. We have quite a full week with a wonderful group of guests joining us. The programs we are producing are riveting, many of which deal with cultural issues as well as the relationship(s) between men and women. As Catholics, our call is to restore the temporal order. Our goal is to do just that and help you to do so as well. May all of us work together to bring Jesus Christ to the world!

Blessings,

Johnnette

 

The Last Things

“The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last. Think of the end of worldly honor, wealth and pleasure and ask yourself: And then? And then?
St. Philip Neri

For Reflection:
To what does my “and then” lead? How can I make my “and then” count today?

The Last Things

“Do now, do now, what you will wish to have done when your moment comes to die.”
St. Angela Merici

For Reflection:
Mentally make a list of those things you will have wished to have done when your moment comes to die. Are there people you will have wished to forgive or from whom you wished to have asked for forgiveness? Are there little niceties and kindnesses you will have wished to have offered? Are there faults and failings, bad habits and weaknesses you would have liked to overcome? Of these, what can I “do now” so I will have no lingering regrets? How will this help my life to be happier for as long as it is mine?

The Last Things

“Happy is the man who keeps the hour of death always in mind, and daily prepares for it.”
Thomas À Kempis

For Reflection:
At first glance, this quote seems to be a contradiction. How can one be happy if he is always keeping his death in mind? How can the reality of death lead us to true happiness of life? What part does preparation for death play in our happiness?
(See tomorrow’s Grace Line for one saint’s admonition that also implies a happy life.)

The Last Things

“The foolish fear death as the greatest of evils, and the wise desire it as a rest after labors and the end of all ills.”
St. Ambrose

For Reflection:
According to this quote, am I foolish or am I wise? If I am foolish, what about death makes me fear? If I am wise, what am I doing to match my desire with preparation?
Â