The Four Last Things
FEW THINGS in this earthly life are absolutely certain. The most undebatable of these is
death. Every man, even the atheist, will admit this much. Death, however, is not the very
last event in this life of ours. Right after death, we shall be judged. Our private judgment
will be repeated on the Day of judgment, when all men will know us for what we are.
Our judgment will depend on how we live this earthly life of ours. If we have honestly
done our best and followed the commandments of Christ, we shall be rewarded with the
perfect life of Heaven. If, however, we have disregarded His loving directions and refused
to make use of His generous help, we shall be condemned to hell.
Death, judgment, Heaven, and hell-these are the four last things toward which we are
moving each hour of the day and night. They will never frighten us if our conscience is
clear. If we love God in our daily life, that is, if we are sincerely trying to know and follow
His holy Will, we have no reason to fear.
By keeping this eternal goal ever before us, we shall think straight when life's problems and
difficulties face us. In making the following meditations, we must strive to become
eternity-minded. We must seek to guarantee to ourselves, as far as is in our power, the
unending success and unmarred happiness of Heaven.
