May the all-compassionate God be merciful to my wretched soul, which has nothing but its indifference and unreadiness. My mind stops when it contemplates this absolute truth about salvation.  “Eternity”—oh, what a great mystery! The world, the  flesh, and the devil lead us astray and throw us into forgetfulness—and suddenly a voice is heard: “Behold, the Bridegroom comes!” When we are breathing our last, what preparation can we make then, when our conscience has already been cauterized and can no longer feel anything or cry out to us? Then the voice of truth is heard: “Only when the sun was setting did you remember God; what were you doing all day long when the sun was shining?”

“Watch and be ready,”1 cries our Jesus! Blessed are those who have ears to hear, who hear and get ready, for they will be counted worthy of eternal happiness. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord will find ready when He comes, for they will rejoice eternally.

‘Counsels from the Holy Mountain’