Principles and Practices - June 27

The Standpoint of Death

All must come to an end; and if when you die your soul is lost, all else is lost for you.

'Consider thyself as already dead,' says St. Lawrence Justinian, 'knowing that thou must necessarily die.'

If you were already dead, what would you not desire to have done?

Now that you are alive, reflect that one day you must die.

St. Bonaventure says 'that to guide the vessel well, the pilot must place himself at the helm; thus, to lead a good life, a man must always imagine himself in death.'

-St. Alphonsus.
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From Principles and Practices
Compiled by Rev. J. Hogan of The Catholic Missionary Society
Published by Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd., Publishers To The Holy See
Nihil Obstat; Eduardus J. Mahoney, S.T.D. Censor deputatus.
Imprimatur; Edm. Can. Surmont, Vicarius generalis.
First printed in 1930