Father Paul Segneri speaks of a certain chancellor in Paris who appeared after death to the then archbishop, and said to him that he was lost forever on account of pride and impurity; he then asked the archbishop what time had elapsed since his death. It is now thirty days, replied the archbishop, since you died. Only thirty days! said the other with a fearful howl. Only thirty days! Oh, wo to us wretches! We thought the last day must be close at hand, and that there could hardly be any one alive on earth any longer, “for as the snow falls from the sky, so do souls rush in crowds into hell.”[1] Oh, wo! wo! wo! should I and all sinners cry out, what is to become of me? Shall I too be condemned to hell? Yes; I must either repent or burn;[2] I must either do penance for my sins or else burn forever in hell with the reprobate. I have sinned, and if I do not repent, hell shall be my everlasting dwelling-place.
Detestation of past sins. But since the choice is left to me, I will select that which is easier. I can and will not burn forever in hell; therefore I will do penance and begin at once, for my time may be short, and death might hurry me into hell. But I shall not wait for that. Merciful God! be good to me, a poor sinner; here I am a criminal who have long ago deserved to be in that place of torment; avenge Thyself on me according to Thy will, but let Thy vengeance be inflicted on me in a fatherly manner during my life; punish me, chastise me; I have merited it on account of the sins that I now detest with a repentant heart above every other evil. I will acknowledge them in their minutest details in confession; I will be sorry for them to the hour of my death, and from this moment I will lead a different life, a life of penance, that by a timely amendment and contrition I may avoid the terrible, eternal pains of hell.
Resolution to arm ourselves by the thought of hell against all temptation, and to serve God constantly. Arm my memory, O Lord! with a constant recollection of hell, that I may be strengthened against all temptations and not offend Thee again during my whole life by any sin! Concupiscence of the flesh! allurements of creatures! I will consume you with the thought of hell! If you offer me violence again, I will say to myself: what! shall I choose hell for the sake of a momentary pleasure? God forbid that I should purchase such a short-lived joy at such a dear price, and burn in everlasting fire! Concupiscence of the eyes, wealth, and goods of this world!
