Meditation for November 3, Preparation for Death

The foreign missionary, Theophane Venard, whom the Anna­mites used to call Father Ven because of his uprightness and purity, was martyred at Tonkin in 1860 and beatified in 1909. From the cage in which he was imprisoned before his death he wrote the following letter full of profound faith and calm joyousness:

"It is near midnight. Around my wooden cage are lances and long swords; at two yards from me a lamp throws its flickering light upon my page of Chinese paper, allowing me to write these lines. I am wait­ing from day to day for my sentence. Perhaps tomorrow I will be led to death.

"According to all probability, I will be beheaded. Glorious ignominy for which heaven will be the prize! At this news, dear sister, you will weep, but from happiness. See your brother, then, the halo of the martyr crowning his head, the palm of the conqueror waving in his hand. In a little while my soul will leave the earth, will finish its exile, will end its combat. But first the grain of wheat must be crushed, the grape must be pressed. Will I be bread, and wine pleasing to the taste of the Father? I hope so, by the grace of the Savior, by the protection of His Immaculate Mother.

"And you, dear sister, I leave you in the fields of virtues and good works. Harvest numberless merits for eternal life, which awaits both of us. Harvest faith, hope, charity, patience, sweetness, perseverance, and a holy death!

"Farewell, Melanie, farewell, darling sister, farewell!"

I will read this sublime letter as if it were addressed to me.

"Dear Sister, I leave you in the field of virtues. and good works. Harvest numberless merits. Harvest faith, hope, charity, patience, sweetness, perseverance and a holy death!"

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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)