Come thou O Lord, and dwell within me, giving me light, and love, and
liberty. May the spirit of the sweet Christmas Child possess me! May the
Star of Bethlehem abide above my dwelling place! May the angels who seek
thee be drawn toward me, and surround my path! May their song fill my
life. Glory to God in the highest. On earth peace, good will to men.
[_December 30._]
This life will soon be at an end; consider therefore how thy affairs
stand as to the next.
Man is here to-day; to-morrow he is gone.
When he is out of sight, he is soon forgotten.
Thou shouldst so order thyself in all thy thoughts and all thy actions,
as if thou wert to die to-day.
Hadst thou a clear conscience, thou wouldst not fear death.
It were better to avoid sin than to fly death.
If thou art not prepared to-day, how wilt thou be to-morrow?
To-morrow is uncertain, and how knowest thou that thou shalt live till
to-morrow?
What availeth to live long, when we are so little the better?
Alas! long life doth not always mend us; but often increased guilt.
O, that we had spent but one day well in this world!
When it is morning, think thou mayst die before night.
When evening comes, dare not to promise thyself the next morning.
Be therefore always in readiness; and so live that death may never take
thee unprepared.
Many die suddenly, and when they look not for it; for “in such an hour as
you think not, the Son of man cometh.” Matt. xxiv: 44.
When that last hour shall come, thou wilt have a far different opinion of
thy whole life.
How wise and happy is he, that laboreth to be such in his life as he
would wish to be found at the hour of his death.
Whilst thou art in health, thou mayst do much good, but when thou art
sick, I know not what thou wilt be able to do.
Few by sickness grow better; and they who travel much are seldom
sanctified.
Trust not in friends and kindred, neither put off the care of thy soul
till hereafter, for man will sooner forget thee than thou art aware of.
If thou art not careful for thyself now, who will be careful for thee
hereafter?
The time present is very precious; now are the days of salvation, now is
the acceptable time.
But alas! that thou shouldst spend thy time no better here, where thou
mightest purchase life eternal. The time will come when thou shalt desire
one day or hour to amend in, and I can not say it will be granted thee.
Ah fool! why dost thou think to live long, when thou canst not promise
thyself one day!
How many have been deceived, and suddenly snatched away!
How often dost thou hear, such a man is slain, another is drowned, a
third has broken his neck with a fall; this man died eating, and that
playing?
One perished by fire, another by sword, another of the plague, another
was slain by thieves! Thus death is the end of all, and man’s life
suddenly passeth away like a shadow.
Who shall remember thee when thou art dead? Do, do now, my beloved,
whatsoever thou art able to do: for thou knowest not when thou shalt die,
nor yet what shall be after thy death.
Now, while thou hast time, lay up for thyself everlasting riches.
Keep thy heart free, and lifted up to God, because thou hast here no
abiding city.
Send thither thy daily prayers, and sighs, and tears, that after death
thy spirit may happily pass to the Lord. _Amen._