Meditation on the Importance of Salvation

On the Importance of Salvation.

“What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” — Matth. XVI. 26.

That our present life is short and uncertain; that we are on all sides exposed to accidents, any one of which may, in a moment, separate us from all that we love and possess upon earth; that, should we even escape all the perils of life, old age will, in a few years, inevitably dissolve this our earthly frame — these are familiar truths. If we strive to forget them, our efforts are in vain: death incessantly stalks before us, meets us in the midst of business and diversion, and reminds us, in language not to be mistaken, that the shaft which so often strikes those around us, must very soon strike us also.

What is the design of Providence in thus frequently reminding us of our mortality? It is, to counteract the charm by which the objects of this world delude and enchant us: it is to convince us that that which we must so soon leave, is unworthy of our solicitude; it is to induce us to direct all our attention to securing that which is beyond the reach of death. Unfortunately, however, to the greater part of mankind these admonitions are sent in vain. From whatever cause it proceeds, certain it is, that the greater part of mankind come to the borders of eternity utterly destitute of that provision which it was the sole business of their lives to make. Earth and its toys have incessantly amused them, and while for the acquisitions that passed away no efforts have been wanting, for those possessions which alone are permanent, none have been exerted.

To prevent so fatal an error in our conduct is the end which we propose to attain by this meditation, and for this reason we shall devote it to that most important of all affairs — our salvation. Our salvation is the most important, it is our only affair.

The whole life of the greatest part of mankind passes away in the pursuit of the transitory goods of this world, without thinking seriously on eternity, or attending properly to the grand affair of salvation. In spite of religion and all its maxims, the care of temporal affairs is the most serious occupation of our life. It is only for the concerns of the soul that we are idle and inactive; we are careful, assiduous and vigilant for all the rest. Nothing discourages us in the pursuit of our worldly interest; pride, fatigues, perplexities, labors, hazards, the intrigues of rivals, in short, nothing can shake our resolution; but when we are to labor for the salvation of the soul, and contend for a happy eternity, alas, we are feeble, cold and indifferent, though there is nothing we should undertake with greater fervor, since, of all affairs, the affair of salvation is the most important. It is such, that if it alone succeeds, though we should fail of success in every other affair, we shall be completely happy; and if it alone should miscarry, though we should be fortunate in all the rest, we shall be entirely and eternally unhappy. Hence Christ Our Lord says in the gospel, “What will it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Matth. XVI. 26.)

To save your soul is the capital point for you; as for the rest, though you should live here in sufferings, in misery and contempt, though you should be stripped of all your worldly possessions, though you should be without friends, accused, condemned, persecuted as the scorn and outcast of all men, all this is nothing if you at length arrive at the happy term of salvation, because you will then find a glory that will amply indemnify you for all the disgrace of the world, a glory infinite, a glory immortal, a glory without end. You will then find a treasure which will amply repay you for all the miseries of life, for you will possess God Himself, Who will be your inexhaustible treasure in the kingdom of heaven.

But oh, how utterly repugnant are these reflections to the world at large! In the world, the man who applies himself with earnestness to the great affair of his salvation, is beheld with a feeling of pity and contempt. The finger of ridicule is pointed at him, and his conduct is stigmatized as the effect of a weak or gloomy mind. Thus it is that the first of sciences is undervalued in the world; thus is this best and noblest of human occupations that which is the least regarded and pursued.

What a deplorable blindness! Consult reason, consult religion, consult your own conscience: what will your condition be if you lose your own soul? Ask the rich man in the gospel, who at the sad moment of his death was buried in the flames of hell, what did all the false happiness of the world avail him, when it was followed by everlasting misery? Learn true wisdom at the expense of so many other reprobates, who are now condemned to eternal torments; they can well instruct you, as they are fully convinced of their own folly by their own woeful experience. Approach now any one of those who, while they neglected the affair of their salvation, drew upon themselves, by their talents, their wealth, their success, the envy and admiration of mankind. Approach, and ask them what are now their sentiments with regard to salvation. They are counselors not likely to deceive. Bitter experience has, too late, made them wise. Their unanimous answer has been given in the Book of Wisdom: “We have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us. We wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction, and have walked through hard ways, but the way of the Lord we have not known. What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a ship that passeth through the waves: whereof when it is gone the trace cannot be found.” (Wisd. V. 6—10.) From the testimony of the dead learn the emptiness of the concerns of this life, listening to their language from the inspired writer. Of the Blessed they say, “These are they, whom we had sometime in derision, and for a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honor: behold, now they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.” (Wisd. V. 3—5.)

But if this voice of the dead, this adjuration from the grave, be insufficient to arouse you to a sense of the importance of salvation, learn in what estimation the same is regarded by the God Who redeemed you, by the God of all knowledge and truth.

From eternity your salvation has occupied a place in His divine mind. With a view to this He gave you existence. In subordination to this He created the universe with all its magnificent array. Great as He is, insignificant as is man, our salvation is not beneath His most tender solicitude. The utmost effort of Omnipotence itself has been exerted to promote it. Yes, for us men and our salvation it was that the Son of God became man. For our salvation He became subject to pain and poverty, hardships and contempt. For our salvation He offered up all the actions of His life. Our salvation it was which drew from Him a flood of tears and a sweat of blood; it bound Him to the pillar and crowned him with thorns. For it He bore the heavy cross upon His mangled shoulders, gave His hands and feet to be pierced and underwent the torments of death. Christian soul, a God suffering, bleeding, dying for man’s salvation! Man thoughtless, careless, insensible with regard to his own salvation! Which is the greater subject of astonishment? What shall we conclude from this striking contrast on the subject of salvation between the sentiments of God and man? What, but that God should demand back at the hands of His creature all that He has done and suffered for him in vain? What, but that God, Whose secret judgments are most terrible, should suffer the negligent Christian to proceed on his way, in which, in spite of so many admonitions, so many and so powerful helps, he has chosen to walk; that He should suffer him to continue in his torpor, till final impenitence puts the consummation to his guilt, and an unhappy death closes a sinful life.

Such is the inevitable consequence of a life spent in forgetfulness of the great affair of salvation; such the judgment which is daily exemplified upon numbers of those who fall around us. Is it not true, then, that of all affairs, our salvation is the most important, and, indeed, our only affair?

That salvation is our only affair, that is, the only affair that deserves our constant care and application, is a truth frequently repeated in Holy Scripture. It is recommended to us by Our Divine Redeemer as the ‘‘one thing necessary’’ that should engage our attention; it alone can be properly called our own affair. Our other concerns regard those who are to benefit by us, or to inherit the fruits of our industry, but this entirely regards ourselves. Our other affairs may be useful, and may bring us some advantage and profit, but this is an affair of absolute and indispensable necessity; it is an affair of such moment and importance, that how fortunate soever we may be otherwise in all our enterprises, we not only gain nothing, but our All is lost for ever if we do not succeed herein. This is the affair with which God has charged each person in particular, as of first and only importance. It was not necessary that we should be created; the world was long without us, and would have still subsisted though we never had been in existence. But as it pleased the Almighty God to give us a being, so He could not but ordain us for some end, and for what end more glorious than to serve Him here on earth and to enjoy Him eternally in heaven hereafter?

All our actions, then, should be performed with this view, and directed to this end; this is the business which should occupy us morning, noon and night; this is an employment proper for all hours. “In whatsoever state or condition you are,’’ says St. Ambrose, ‘‘be always attentive to the salvation of your soul, and take care to insure for yourself eternal happiness.” Be not too solicitous about a multiplicity of affairs which, properly speaking, deserve not your attention; at least, let not too much anxiety disquiet your mind, except for your salvation. Endeavor each day to make progress in virtue; pay every attention to your immortal soul, that precious talent which God has committed to your care, that valuable treasure which Christ has purchased with His sacred Blood; that part of you, the most valuable, the most noble, and consequently the most worthy of all your care and attention; spare no pains to preserve and save it; abandon the rest to Providence. This is a personal affair for you; in a word, it is your only affair, your only business in this world.

Must all other affairs be therefore abandoned and neglected? No; but they must be all referred to the great and important affair of your salvation. This must be the centre of all your actions, the end of all your pursuits, and the ruling principle that should influence you in all your undertakings; so that when it is said your salvation is your only affair, it is not meant that you are to neglect your other duties. It is but the affirmation, that in the management of all your other affairs you are to have your salvation always in view, to aim at it in all your pursuits, and to make it your chief affair and principal study. You are to discharge the respective duties of your station with this view, and with the intention of pleasing God, and of being subservient to the designs of His Providence.

To reduce this consideration to practice, consider how your daily occupations are to tend to your salvation. Although the greater part of your life is spent in the duties of your calling, you can sanctify them by referring all your actions to God, living, acting and thinking in His presence. This may be done in the following manner:

In the morning, when we awake, we should accustom ourselves to think first of God, or something connected with His service; and at night let Him close our eyes, and let our sleep be necessary and healthful, not idle and expensive of time, nor beyond the appointed hour.

Let all the intervals or void spaces of time be employed in prayer, reading, meditating, permitted recreation and offices of mutual friendliness, ever remembering so to work in our calling, as to work out the end of this calling.

Never engage in conversation, or undertake any trifling employment merely to pass away time; for every day well spent may become a “day of salvation,” and time rightly employed is an “acceptable time.” And remember, the time you trifle away was given you to repent in, to pray for pardon of sins, to work out your salvation, to do the work of grace, to lay up for the day of judgment a treasure of good works.

In the midst of your daily work often retire to God in short prayers and ejaculations. You can thereby make up the want of those larger portions of time which, it may be, you desire for devotion, and in which, you think, other persons have the advantage of you. Thus you will reconcile the demands of duty with the work of your salvation.

Avoid curiosity, and all inquiry into things that do not concern you. Mixing with things and affairs that do not concern us is employing our time to no good of ours, and therefore not in order to our salvation.

Do not ‘‘the work of God negligently’’ and idly: let not your heart be with the world when your hands are lifted up in prayer. In honoring God and doing His work put forth all your strength; “Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God . . . with thy whole strength.” (Mark XII. 30.)

Examine your conscience every evening. The particular examen during the day will greatly aid you therein.

Let all these things be done prudently and moderately, without scruples and vexations.

These are common and simple rules. The reflections from which they proceed are such as you have heard again and again, and which are continually pressed on your attention. You know their importance, you know the awful consequences they involve. Yet, with all this knowledge, with all this conviction some still run blindly to perdition in the practical desertion of the principles which they profess. And whence is this? It is because they know these truths as if they knew them not. It is because they never suffer them to make due impression. To rouse you to the realization of their importance is the object of this retreat.

“Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.” (II. Cor. VI. 2.) Make up your account with God. Make amends for your carelessness. Retire from the levities and vanities to which you have hitherto clung. Act logically: if you believe yourself created for another and better world, if you deem salvation worthy of your labor, let your first attention be directed to its attainment. Let it enter into all your calculations; let it determine and regulate all your actions. In a word, in all that you plan, in all that you undertake, let your life be regulated by that truth of truths, “What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Matth. XVI. 26.)

PRAYER.

O Eternal God! Who hast created me to know, love and serve Thee in this world, and to possess Thee eternally in the next: take from me all slothfulness in Thy service, that I may work out my salvation with fear and trembling, and may enter into the eternal joy of heaven after leaving this vale of tears. Until that supreme moment let the love of Thy mercy, and the fear and dread of Thy majesty make me careful and inquisitive to search Thy will, and diligent to perform it, and to persevere in the practices of a holy life even till the last of my days. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.