vicious ways and gave free rein to his passions. “I will be converted,” he said to himself, “when my angel guardian gives me the promised sign of approaching death.” Before long he experienced violent headaches, so that he was obliged to keep his room, and soon after he was attacked by a fever. His friends and acquaintances advised him to receive the last sacraments, so as to be prepared for any danger that might result from his illness and place his soul in safety. “What?” exclaimed the young man, “why do you trouble me about receiving the sacraments? There is no fear of my dying yet; I am sure of that.” His illness grew worse daily; his friends continued their pious exhortations; but to no purpose. “I will not die yet,” was his only answer; “and besides I am not ready now to receive the sacraments; I will do so when I get better.” Finally his last hour came, and his guardian angel appeared to him again. “Now,” said the angel, “your time is come; you must die.” “Alas!” exclaimed the sick man, “how shamefully you have betrayed me! Is that the way you keep your word? Did you not promise you would not let me die without giving me some sign of my approaching end? And now you come only when death is already at my door?” “I have faithfully kept my word,” replied the angel, “and have given you signs enough; the unusual headaches you suffered from, the fever that attacked you, the constant exhortations of your friends to confess your sins and receive the last sacraments, the warnings of the priest whom they sent for so often to see you; were not these all so many signs that death was at hand? But you took no notice of them, and would not believe them; and now your time is come.” Thus the unhappy wretch died in despair without the sacraments, and went into eternity in the state of sin. No prayer, I repeat, no devotions, no matter what they may be, can make me sure of salvation; the safest, nay, the most necessary means to a good death is to lead a pious, Christian life.
Conclusion to be always ready for death. Continue, devout souls, to keep yourselves ready in this manner for the hour of death, and you will be able to say to your consolation, like that holy Bishop: “Every hour I stand at the gate of eternity,”[1] every moment I am ready to enter; and with the Prophet David: “And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord?”[2] What else have I to do in this world but to serve
