Salesian Literature

Chapter 17:  Ninth Meditation:  Deliberate choice of Heaven

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Preparation

1. Place yourself in the presence of God.

2. Humble yourself before him, asking him to inspire you.

 

Reflections

Imagine that you are in the open country, alone with your Guardian angel, like the young Tobias going to Rages (Tobit 5).  He makes you see Heaven open above, with the pleasures indicated the meditation on Heaven which you have made.  Then he makes you see hell open below with all the torments mentioned in the meditation on hell.  While imagining yourself in this situation, and kneeling before your Guardian Angel:

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1. Be aware that in reality you are between Heaven and hell.  The one and the other is open to receive you, according to the choice you make.

2. Realize that the choice which is made of the one or of the other in this world, will last forever in the next. Even though the one and the other is open to receive you, according to the choice you make, yet God – who is ready to give you either the one by his justice or the other by his mercy – desires very earnestly that you should choose Heaven.  Your Guardian Angel urges you to do this with all his power, offering you on God’s behalf a thousand graces and thousand helps to assist you in the ascent.

3. Jesus Christ looks at you lovingly, from the heights of Heaven, and gently invites you:  “Come, dear one, to everlasting rest in the arms of my goodness.  In the abundance of my love, I have prepared for you never-ending delights.”  See, with the eyes of your spirit, our Lady inviting you with a mother’s love:  “Courage my child.  Do not despise my Son’s desires, nor my great concern for you, since with him I long for your eternal salvation.”  Look at the Saints who earnestly request you, and a million faithful who gently invite you, only desiring to see one day your heart united to theirs to praise God forever.  They assure you that the way to Heaven is not as difficult as the world claims it to be: “Be daring, our dear friend.  Whoever examines well the path of devotion, by which we have come here, will see that we have reached these delights by means of delights immeasurably more enjoyable than those of the world.”

 

Election

1. Hell, I detest you now and always.  I detest your torments and punishments, detest your miserable unhappy eternity, and especially the eternal blasphemies and maledictions which you vomit endlessly against my God.

2. Heaven, so beautiful, everlasting glory, happiness without end, I turn my heart and my spirit to you.  I choose forever and irrevocably to have my home and my dwelling within your beautiful and holy mansions and your holy and longed-for tabernacles.

 

My God, I praise your mercy and I accept the offer it pleases you to make me of it.  Jesus, my Saviour, I accept your everlasting love.  I acknowledge the purchase you have made for me of a place and a habitation in his happy Jerusalem, not so much for anything else as to love and praise you forever.

 

Accept the graces with Our Lady and the Saints offer you.  Promise them that you will make your way to them.  Hold out your hand to your Guardian Angel that may lead you there.

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