Saintly Quotes - Preparation for Death

The Death of Saint Joseph

Picture source

First of all, it is a pleasure and an honor to be asked to contribute to this new blog. Thank you very much Mary for inviting me. I have been reading the past posts and each time I leave with a peaceful feeling in my soul.

My mom has a collection of old paperback books written by St. Alphonsus di Liguori and reprinted by a priest who wanted everyone to be able to read them. You may be familiar with them: The Glories of Mary, The Victories of the Martyrs, The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, The Holy Eucharist and Preparation for Death. I am currently reading the latter.

This particular book is full of quotes by saints and holy people and put together beautifully by St. Alphonsus di Liguori. The following are some of the quotes I thought were worth sharing:

"Go to the grave, contemplate dust, ashes, worms and sigh..." - St. John Chrysostom

"The true love for the body consists in treating it here with rigor and contempt, that it may be happy for eternity; and in refusing it all pleasures which might make it miserable forever..." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"My Jesus, no more sins! no more sins!" - St. Catherine of Genoa

"My soul has been given so many years in the world, and has not loved Thee. Give me light and strength to love Thee during the remainder of my life..." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"Consider yourself already dead, since you know that you must necessarily die." - St. Laurence Justinian

"...to lead a good life a man should always imagine himself at the hour of death..." - St. Bonaventure

"Look to the sins of your youth and be covered with shame. Remember the sins of manhood and weep. Look to the present disorders of your life: tremble, and hasten to apply a remedy." - St. Bernard

"...Remember that the Lord seeks not only flowers, but fruits; that is not only good desires and resolutions, but also holy works..." - St. Bernard

"Let us consider that Jesus Christ submitted to a cruel and ignominious death in order to obtain for us the grace of a good death." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"...And what will a Christian say, who knows by faith that at the moment of death eternity begins, and that moment he lays hold of two wheels, which draws with it either eternal joy or everlasting torments?" - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"...if you believe that you must die, that there is an eternity, that you can die only once, and that if you then err your error will be forever, irreparable, why do you not resolve to begin at this moment, to do all in your power to secure a good death?..." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"...Oh! hasten to apply a remedy in time, resolve to give yourself sincerely to God, and begin from this moment a life which, at the hour of death, will be to you a source, not of affliction, but of consolation. Give yourself up to prayer, frequent the sacraments, avoid all dangerous occasions, and, if necessary, leave the world, secure yourself eternal salvation, and be persuaded that to secure eternal life no precaution can be too great." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"Since our souls will be eternal, we ought to procure not a fortune which soon ends, but one that will be everlasting." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"...if you wish to live well, spend the remaining days of life with death before your eyes." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"Consider the end of life and you will love nothing in this world." - St. Laurence Justinian

"All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, of the eyes and the pride of life." - St. Laurence Justinian

"Memento Mori" - Remember Death

"I have always kept death before my eyes and therefore, now that it has arrived, I see nothing new in it." - Holy Hermit

"...is not he a fool who seeks after happiness in this world, where he will remain only a few days and exposes himself to the risk of being unhappy in the next, where we must live fore eternity? We do not fix our affections on borrowed goods, because we know that they must soon be returned to the owner. All the goods of this earth are lent to us..." - St. Alphonsus di Liguori

"The Lord waitheth patiently for your sake, not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should return to penance." - St. Peter