06-21-2026, 07:39 AM
Mgr. Louis de Ségur: Short Answers to Common Objections Against Religion - 1908
FIFTY-SEVENTH OBJECTION. I WILL PRACTICE THE DUTIES OF RELIGION SOME DAY, WHEN I AM MORE AT LEISURE. I WILL GO TO CONFESSION BY-AND-BY, ON MY DEATHBED. CERTAINLY I WILL RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS BEFORE I DIE.
Answer. On some future day, you say? Yes, certainly!
Yes, provided that future day is in store for you, and that you have the means of receiving the sacraments at the moment of your death, you mean; but this is certainly very doubtful.
How many have said as you do: "To-morrow, some future day," for whom there has been nothing in store but judgment and eternity!
How many have neglected to go to confession when it was quite in their power, who have been unable to do so when they fain would!
You will confess at your death? And suppose God were to decree your death before your confession?
"Oh, but," you reply, "God is merciful." True, indeed; and, therefore, He offers you today a pardon which you do not deserve.
But He who has promised pardon to the penitent sinner, has not promised to him the morrow.
On the contrary, He has warned him to be ever on the watch, because death will come upon him suddenly. Listen to our Master and Judge: "Watch ye, therefore. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of Man will come, and He will reject the unfaithful servant. Then there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (St. Matthew, chap. xxiv.)
What madness to risk your eternity on a perhaps!
A few years ago, a young inmate of the prison de la Roquette, in Paris, only seventeen years old, had refused to fulfil his Easter duties, in spite of the chaplain's exhortations. All the others had listened to the priest, this one was the only exception.
"At another time," he replied, "not now, next year; not this year!"
The day after his fruitless visit to the young man, the chaplain was passing along into the infirmary of the prison. On one of the doors he saw the number of the young prisoner. He entered, and found him on the bed, asleep and very pale. He called the sister who attended the infirmary, and asked what ailed the new patient. "Nothing serious," she replied; "he complained of headache, perhaps an attack of indigestion." They both re-entered the room; the sister went up to the young man, and spoke to him, but he did not reply. "This young man is not well, sister," said the priest, alarmed, "send for the doctor." In a few minutes the doctor appeared; the patient was found insensible. The doctor felt his pulse; lays his hand on his heart. "Ah! my God!" cried he, with an air of stupefaction.
"What is the matter?" demands the priest. Again the doctor examines the young man. "What is the matter?" he exclaims. "The matter is that the lad is dead!"
"Dead!" repeated the chaplain, uttering an exclamation of horror, "dead!"
And he regarded, with feelings of unspeakable horror, those half open lips which had so recently refused to receive God, saying, "At a future time — next year!"
In the adjacent room, another young prisoner of the same age was lying. The last sacraments had been administered to him a few days previously, and his death was momentarily expected: "Ah!" said he, when he saw the chaplain, "I am happy, my good father! I am hoping to see the merciful God soon, very soon, I hope." And when the chaplain told him that it was yet possible that he might recover. "Ah, do not say so," he said with a smile, "I would much rather die; I might fall again into sin and forget God, were I to be restored to health. I would rather die, so as to behold Paradise!"
That evening, the young man expired gently, mingling with his last sigh the sacred name of Jesus.
Examples of sudden death, entirely unforeseen, occur daily. A short time ago a poor workman, the father of a family, fell from a height of several feet on to the pavement of the rue Vaugirard in Paris; he was taken up quite dead, without having even uttered a cry! But he had listened to the Gospel warning, for he was in the habit of going to confession and receiving the Holy Communion every week.
If a like accident were to befall you this night, would you, do you think, be ready like him, to go into eternity?
More recently, a man was passing along a street in Paris. He tottered and fell. He was immediately surrounded by the passers-by, and carried into a neighboring shop. A doctor was sent for, who examined him, and pronounced that death had been instantaneous, taking place even before he had quite fallen to the ground. The unhappy man was not prepared for death.
After thinking of these and similar cases, can you count upon the morrow for insuring your salvation?
After that speak to me of deferring it till a future day! After that sleep tranquilly with such a thought as this: "I will certainly confess my sins at the hour of death!"
A poor apprentice had made his first communion a few months before the period I am going to speak of. He had made one resolution, but it was with seriousness and sincerity. "If ever I fall into mortal sin, I will go and confess it before going to sleep the same day."
This misfortune happened accordingly. It was one Saturday, and it chanced to be very bad weather, and the priest was at some little distance. He said at first, "I will go to confession in a few days." But the promise he had made internally returned to his mind, and something within him said, "Fulfill your promise; go to confession."
He hesitated, however. In the midst of the internal struggle going on in his mind, he knelt down and said an Ave Maria, to obtain the grace of knowing God's will. Prayer is the salvation of the soul.
He arose and set off to find the priest.
On his return, he met his god-mother, who inquired of him where he had been; with a joyful countenance he told her, and added that he should now sleep in peace, having been restored to favor with God. His mother was in the habit of letting him sleep a little longer on Sundays than on work-days.
According to custom, therefore, she went to awake him at seven o'clock, by knocking at the door of his little room, and calling to him.
A quarter of an hour later, Paul was still asleep. His mother called him again, and then, impatient at getting no reply, she entered his room: "Come, then, you lazy fellow! It is half-past seven — are you not ashamed?"
She approached her child, who did not stir, took his hand, which was quite cold. Affrighted, she looked at his face, and, uttering a fearful cry, fell to the ground senseless. The boy was dead, and already cold!!
Happy for him that he did not put off till a future time! not even till the morrow!!
May you who read this be as wise as he, and do as he did!
FIFTY-SEVENTH OBJECTION. I WILL PRACTICE THE DUTIES OF RELIGION SOME DAY, WHEN I AM MORE AT LEISURE. I WILL GO TO CONFESSION BY-AND-BY, ON MY DEATHBED. CERTAINLY I WILL RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS BEFORE I DIE.
Answer. On some future day, you say? Yes, certainly!
Yes, provided that future day is in store for you, and that you have the means of receiving the sacraments at the moment of your death, you mean; but this is certainly very doubtful.
How many have said as you do: "To-morrow, some future day," for whom there has been nothing in store but judgment and eternity!
How many have neglected to go to confession when it was quite in their power, who have been unable to do so when they fain would!
You will confess at your death? And suppose God were to decree your death before your confession?
"Oh, but," you reply, "God is merciful." True, indeed; and, therefore, He offers you today a pardon which you do not deserve.
But He who has promised pardon to the penitent sinner, has not promised to him the morrow.
On the contrary, He has warned him to be ever on the watch, because death will come upon him suddenly. Listen to our Master and Judge: "Watch ye, therefore. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of Man will come, and He will reject the unfaithful servant. Then there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (St. Matthew, chap. xxiv.)
What madness to risk your eternity on a perhaps!
A few years ago, a young inmate of the prison de la Roquette, in Paris, only seventeen years old, had refused to fulfil his Easter duties, in spite of the chaplain's exhortations. All the others had listened to the priest, this one was the only exception.
"At another time," he replied, "not now, next year; not this year!"
The day after his fruitless visit to the young man, the chaplain was passing along into the infirmary of the prison. On one of the doors he saw the number of the young prisoner. He entered, and found him on the bed, asleep and very pale. He called the sister who attended the infirmary, and asked what ailed the new patient. "Nothing serious," she replied; "he complained of headache, perhaps an attack of indigestion." They both re-entered the room; the sister went up to the young man, and spoke to him, but he did not reply. "This young man is not well, sister," said the priest, alarmed, "send for the doctor." In a few minutes the doctor appeared; the patient was found insensible. The doctor felt his pulse; lays his hand on his heart. "Ah! my God!" cried he, with an air of stupefaction.
"What is the matter?" demands the priest. Again the doctor examines the young man. "What is the matter?" he exclaims. "The matter is that the lad is dead!"
"Dead!" repeated the chaplain, uttering an exclamation of horror, "dead!"
And he regarded, with feelings of unspeakable horror, those half open lips which had so recently refused to receive God, saying, "At a future time — next year!"
In the adjacent room, another young prisoner of the same age was lying. The last sacraments had been administered to him a few days previously, and his death was momentarily expected: "Ah!" said he, when he saw the chaplain, "I am happy, my good father! I am hoping to see the merciful God soon, very soon, I hope." And when the chaplain told him that it was yet possible that he might recover. "Ah, do not say so," he said with a smile, "I would much rather die; I might fall again into sin and forget God, were I to be restored to health. I would rather die, so as to behold Paradise!"
That evening, the young man expired gently, mingling with his last sigh the sacred name of Jesus.
Examples of sudden death, entirely unforeseen, occur daily. A short time ago a poor workman, the father of a family, fell from a height of several feet on to the pavement of the rue Vaugirard in Paris; he was taken up quite dead, without having even uttered a cry! But he had listened to the Gospel warning, for he was in the habit of going to confession and receiving the Holy Communion every week.
If a like accident were to befall you this night, would you, do you think, be ready like him, to go into eternity?
More recently, a man was passing along a street in Paris. He tottered and fell. He was immediately surrounded by the passers-by, and carried into a neighboring shop. A doctor was sent for, who examined him, and pronounced that death had been instantaneous, taking place even before he had quite fallen to the ground. The unhappy man was not prepared for death.
After thinking of these and similar cases, can you count upon the morrow for insuring your salvation?
After that speak to me of deferring it till a future day! After that sleep tranquilly with such a thought as this: "I will certainly confess my sins at the hour of death!"
A poor apprentice had made his first communion a few months before the period I am going to speak of. He had made one resolution, but it was with seriousness and sincerity. "If ever I fall into mortal sin, I will go and confess it before going to sleep the same day."
This misfortune happened accordingly. It was one Saturday, and it chanced to be very bad weather, and the priest was at some little distance. He said at first, "I will go to confession in a few days." But the promise he had made internally returned to his mind, and something within him said, "Fulfill your promise; go to confession."
He hesitated, however. In the midst of the internal struggle going on in his mind, he knelt down and said an Ave Maria, to obtain the grace of knowing God's will. Prayer is the salvation of the soul.
He arose and set off to find the priest.
On his return, he met his god-mother, who inquired of him where he had been; with a joyful countenance he told her, and added that he should now sleep in peace, having been restored to favor with God. His mother was in the habit of letting him sleep a little longer on Sundays than on work-days.
According to custom, therefore, she went to awake him at seven o'clock, by knocking at the door of his little room, and calling to him.
A quarter of an hour later, Paul was still asleep. His mother called him again, and then, impatient at getting no reply, she entered his room: "Come, then, you lazy fellow! It is half-past seven — are you not ashamed?"
She approached her child, who did not stir, took his hand, which was quite cold. Affrighted, she looked at his face, and, uttering a fearful cry, fell to the ground senseless. The boy was dead, and already cold!!
Happy for him that he did not put off till a future time! not even till the morrow!!
May you who read this be as wise as he, and do as he did!
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre