New and Old (Sermons) - A Monthly Repertory of Catholic Pulpit Eloquence Embracing Two Sermons for Each Sunday and Holy-Day of Obligation of the Ecclesiastical Year #266188

For this reason, the prophet calls this day "a day of wrath," "a day of tribulation and distress," "a day of calamity and misery," "a day of darkness and obscurity," "a day of clouds and whirlwinds." (Soph, i: 15.) The bare thought of these things has sometimes sufficed to alarm the most reckless sinners; and if they tremble to think upon this dreadful day, how much more shall they be terrified when they experience in person all the agony of its actual horrors. "They shall wither away for fear."<br><br>2. Shall not the good and pious also fear at the Last Day? Ah! no, my dear Christians, although their pure souls shall be filled with awe, the terrible omens of the approaching judgment will be for the just not signs of terror, but rather, of consolation. Then, shall they recall those comforting words of our Saviour: "But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand;" and their conscience shall bear joyful testimony of the happiness in store for them. They know that they have a Judge who can neither be bribed by infernal accusers, nor deceived by false witnesses. "When God is the Judge," says St. Augustine, "no other witness is needed but thine own conscience." Where this Judge and this Witness are concerned there is nothing to be feared but the record of a man's own actions. The very severity of the judgment, the very justice of the Judge ("who will render to every man according to his works,") shall prove for the just the foundations of their consolation. Whoever, with the Apostle, can truly say: "I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith," can also say with him, with equal confidence: "For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will render to me at that day." (2 Tim. 4: 7, 8.) While the godless, before the bar of Christ, shall wither away for fear, the righteous shall stand firm in the blessed security of their unwavering confidence. The sun may be darkened, and the moon refuse to give her light, the stars may fall from their orbits, the powers of heaven be moved, and the whole firmament convulsed with terror, but the elect of God shall have no cause for fear. For when all these things begin to come to pass, terrible as they are in themselves, the just shall recognize them only as tokens of their own approaching everlasting reward.<br><br>II. "They shall wither away for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world." What shall come at the Last Day?