Quote of St. John Mary Vianney

[Hildegard of Bingen]

QUOTE OF ST. JOHN MARY VIANNEY

"Generally speaking, one dies as one has lived.  That is one of the great truths which Holy Scripture and the Fathers repeat in many different places.  If you live as good Christians, you will be sure to die as good Christians, but if you live badly, you will sure to die a bad death . . .  It is true, however, that sometimes, by a kind miracle, one may begin badly and finish well, but that happens so rarely that, as St. Jerome puts it, death is generally the echo of life.  You think that you will return then to God?  No, you will perish in sin  . . . " - The Cure of Ars (Page 139 from the Book "Sermons of the Cure Ars)

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Ready to Appear before Jesus Christ

"When all is said and done, there is not a single person who could say that he is ready to appear before Jesus Christ.  Yet in spite of the

fact that we are quite aware of this, there is still not one among us who will take a single step nearer to God.  Dear Lord, how blind the

sinner is!  How pitiable is his lot!  My dear children, let us not live like fools any longer, for at the moment when we least expect it,

Jesus Christ will knock at our door.  How happy then will be the person who has not been waiting until that very moment to prepare

himself for Him."  -  Taken from the book "Sermons of the Cure of Ars."