cause it was not the love of God, nor the supernatural fear of punishment, but simply the dread of death that inspired him with repentance.
Nowadays the repentance of the dying is generally no true repentance. I could say the same to you, O sinner! if you appeal to the experience of the dying in our own days, as is generally done. We see here and there, you maintain, so many Christians who, although they have led wicked and reckless lives, yet die a happy death as good, pious Christians. But are you sure of that? Oh, yes! they repent of and confess their sins; they receive the holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction; they sigh and pray with those who are standing round; they often kiss the crucifix and press it to their bosoms, and depart with the exhortations and blessings of the priest still ringing in their ears. And do you call that a holy, Christian death? Ah, says St. Gregory with quiet sarcasm, how little it costs to make saints! “We make saints in a day of those who contribute nothing to the process but a good will!”[1] All we want is a day, an hour, nay, almost a few moments, and with one act of the will we become holy. From my heart I wish you all eternal salvation; but I should not like to share the lot of those who are supposed to have thus died holy and Christian deaths. If nothing more were necessary to make a man die happy, then even the most wicked sinners, if they did not despair, who died on a bed of sickness, are saved. For what Catholic is there who does not give some signs of repentance and receive the last sacraments, if possible, when he feels the approach of death? If nothing more were required fora happy death, then all those who say “Lord! Lord!” should go to heaven; yet we have the express word of God to the contrary; and no one who has despised God during his life would be abandoned by God at the end, although that is again contrary to the word of God: “I will laugh in your destruction;” and all who in their lives turn a deaf ear to the voice of God should find Him in that moment if they seek Him, and should not die in the state of sin; but that, too, is against the word of God: “You shall seek Me, and you shall die in your sin.” Otherwise why has Christ described the way to heaven as difficult, narrow, and hard to find? Why does He warn us so impressively? “Strive to enter by the narrow gate: for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able.”[2] And could I
