THE WAY OF SALVATION AND OF PERFECTION (MEDITATIONS, PIOUS REFLECTIONS, SPIRITUAL TREATISES) BY ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH. Bishop of Saint Agatha, and Founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN.- EDITED BY REV. EUGENE GRIMM, PRIEST OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER. SECOND EDITION. Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, and St. Louis. Printers to the Holy Apostolic See. R. WASHBOURNE, 18 PATERNOSTER Row, LONDON. M. H. GILL& SON, UPPER O’CONNELL STREET, DUBLIN.
APPROBATION...... 4 NOTICE...... 4 PART I. - Meditations suitable for all times in the year *...... 5 MEDITATION I. - Eternal Salvation...... 5 MEDITATION II. - Sin as it Dishonours God...... 5 MEDITATION III. - The Patience of God in waiting for Sinners...... 6 MEDITATION IV. - The Certainty of Death...... 7 MEDITATION V. - The Loss of all Things in Death...... 7 MEDITATION VI. - The Great Thought of Eternity...... 8 MEDITATION VII. - The Death of Jesus Christ...... 9 MEDITATION VIII. - The Abuse of God’s Mercy...... 9 MEDITATION IX. - The Emptiness and Shortness of Human Life...... 10 MEDITATION X. - The Contempt with which the Sinner treats God...... 11 MEDITATION XI. - The Pain of Loss...... 12 MEDITATION XII. - The Particular Judgment...... 13 MEDITATION XIII. - Preparation for the Particular Judgments...... 13 MEDITATION XIV. - The Suffering of Souls in Hell in their Mental Faculties...... 14 MEDITATION XV. - Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary...... 15 MEDITATION XVI. - Jesus suffering for our Sins...... 15 MEDITATION XVII. - The One Thing Necessary...... 16 MEDITATION XVIII. - The Sinner’s Disobedience to God...... 17 MEDITATION XIX. - The Merciful Chastisements of God...... 17 MEDITATION XX. - The Patience of God with Sinners...... 18 MEDITATION XXI. - Death, the Passage to Eternity...... 19 MEDITATION XXII. - The Reformation of our Lives before Death,...... 20 MEDITATION XXIII. - The Lamb of God Sacrificed for our Sins...... 20 MEDITATION XXIV. - The Value of Time...... 21 MEDITATION XXV. - The Terrors of the Dying Man at the Thought of Approaching Judgment...... 22 MEDITATION XXVI. - The Fire of Hell...... 23 MEDITATION XXVII. - The Vanity of all Worldly Things...... 23 MEDITATION XXVIII. - The Number of our Sins...... 24 MEDITATION XXIX. - The Folly of Living as Enemies of God...... 25 MEDITATION XXX. - The Sacred Wounds of Jesus...... 25 MEDITATION XXXI. - The Great Affair of Salvation...... 26 MEDITATION XXXII - The Frequent Thought of Death...... 27 MEDITATION XXXIII. - The Turning away from God by Sin...... 27 MEDITATION XXXIV. - The Mercy of God in Calling Sinners to Repentance...... 28 MEDITATION XXXV. - The Soul’s Appearance at the Tribunal of God...... 29 MEDITATION XXXVI. - The Unhappy Life of the Sinner...... 29 MEDITATION XXXVII. - The Love of Jesus Crucified...... 30 MEDITATION XXXVIII. - The Will of God to Save All...... 31 MEDITATION XXXIX. - The Near Approach of Death...... 31 MEDITATION XL. - God Abandons the Sinner in his Sins...... 32 MEDITATION XLI. - The Examination at the Particular Judgment...... 33 MEDITATION XLII. - The Journey to Eternity...... 33 MEDITATION XLIII. - Jesus, the Man of Sorrows...... 34 MEDITATION XLIV. - The Folly of Neglecting Salvation...... 34 MEDITATION XLV. - The Moment of Death...... 35 MEDITATION XLVI. - The Desire of God to Save Sinners...... 36 MEDITATION XLVII. - The Sentence of Particular Judgment...... 36 Page 1 of 210 MEDITATION XLVIII. - An Unprovided Death...... 37 MEDITATION XLIX. - The Eternity of Hell...... 38 MEDITATION L. - The Uncertainty of Grace...... 38 MEDITATION LI. - The Death of Jesus for the Love of Men...... 39 MEDITATION LII - The Certainty of being either Saved or Lost...... 40 MEDITATION LIV. - The Vanity of the World...... 41 MEDITATION LV. - The Provoking of God by Sin...... 42 MEDITATION LVI. - The Last Judgment...... 42 MEDITATION LVII. - The Intensity of the Pains of Hell...... 43 MEDITATION LVIII. - The Love of Christ Crucified...... 44 MEDITATION LIX. - The Irretrievable Loss of the Soul...... 44 MEDITATION LX. - We Must Die...... 45 MEDITATION LXI. - The Love with which God receives the Repentant Sinner...... 46 MEDITATION LXII. - Temptations to Relapse...... 46 MEDITATION LXIII. - The Resurrection of the Body...... 47 MEDITATION LXIV. - The Love of God in Giving us His Son...... 48 MEDITATION LXV. - Earnest Labour to Secure Eternal Salvation...... 48 MEDITATION LXVI. - The Appearance of the Body immediately after Death...... 49 MEDITATION LXVII. - The State of the Body in the Grave...... 50 MEDITATION LXVIII. - Man is soon Forgotten after Death...... 50 MEDITATION LXIX. - The Appearance of all Mankind in the Valley of Josaphat...... 51 MEDITATION LXX. - The Blindness of those who say, If we be Lost we shall not be Lost alone...... 52 MEDITATION LXXI. - The Measure of Grace...... 52 MEDITATION LXXII. - Loving God because He has Died for us...... 53 MEDITATION LXXIII. - The Care of our Salvation...... 54 MEDITATION LXXIV. - The Leaving of All at Death...... 54 MEDITATION LXXV. - The Moment of Death...... 55 MEDITATION LXXVI. - The Examination of our Sins at the Last Day...... 56 MEDITATION LXVII. - The Great Love of God for our Souls...... 56 MEDITATION LXXVIII. - The Remorse of the Reprobate...... 57 MEDITATION LXXIX. - Jesus, the King of Love...... 58 MEDITATION LXXX. - The Miserable Death of the Sinner...... 58 MEDITATION LXXXI. - The Happy Death of the Just...... 59 MEDITATION LXXXII. - At the Point of Death...... 60 MEDITATION LXXXIII. - The Rashness of the Sinner in Committing Mortal Sin...... 60 MEDITATION LXXXIV. - The Parable of the Prodigal Son...... 61 MEDITATION LXXXV. - The Evil of Lukewarmness...... 62 MEDITATION LXXXVI. - The Giving of Ourselves to God without Reserve...... 62 MEDITATION LXXXVII. - The Trouble and Confusion of the Hour of Death...... 63 MEDITATION LXXXVIII. - The Provoking of God by Sin to Depart from us...... 64 MEDITATION LXXXIX. - The Abuse of Grace...... 64 MEDITATION XC. - Divine Love Victorious over God Himself...... 65 MEDITATION XCI. - The Sentence of the Wicked at the Last Judgment...... 66 MEDITATION XCII. - The Sentence of the Elect...... 66 MEDITATION XCIII. - The Dishonouring of God by Sin...... 67 MEDITATION XCIV. - The Joy of Jesus Christ at Finding the Lost Sheep...... 67 MEDITATION XCV. - Jesus Suffering the Punishment Due to our Sins...... 68 MEDITATION XCVI. - The Happiness of Possessing the Grace of God, and the Misery of being Deprived of it...... 69 MEDITATION XCVII. - Conformity to the Will of God...... 69 PART II. PIOUS REFLECTIONS ON DIFFERENT POINTS OF SPIRITUALITY TO GUIDE SOULS THAT DESIRE TO ADVANCE IN THE LOVE OF GOD* ...... 70 I. The Thought of Eternity...... 70 II. We are Pilgrims on Earth...... 72 III. God Deserves to be Loved above Everything...... 73 IV. In order that a Soul may become Holy, it must give itself to God without Reserve...... 74 V. The Two Great Means for Becoming Holy Desire and Resolution...... 75 VI. The Science of the Saints...... 77 VII. Our Eternal Safety Consists in Prayer...... 79 VIII. I Must One Day Die...... 81 IX. Preparation for Death...... 82 X. He that Loves God must Love and not Abhor Death...... 83 XI. Our Salvation is in the Cross...... 84 XII. How much it Pleases Jesus Christ that we Suffer for the Love of Him...... 86 XIII. Divine Love Conquers All Things...... 88 XIV. The Necessity of Mental Prayer...... 89 XV. The Object of Mental Prayer...... 90 XVI. The Mercy of God...... 91
Page 2 of 210 XVII. Confidence in Jesus Christ...... 93 XVIII. Salvation Alone is Necessary...... 95 XIX. Perfect Resignation to the Divine Will...... 96 XX. Happy is He who is Faithful to God in Adversity...... 98 XXI. He that Loves Jesus Christ ought to Hate the World...... 99 XXII. The Words of a Dying Man to Jesus Crucified...... 100 XXIII. Acts of Devotion for the Time of Death...... 101 XXIV. The House of Eternity...... 102 XXV. Souls Who Love God Desire to Go to See Him in Heaven...... 103 XXVI. Jesus is the Good Shepherd...... 104 XXVII. The Affair of Eternal Salvation...... 105 XXVIII. What will be the Joy of the Blessed...... 106 XXIX. The Pain of having Lost God will be that which Constitutes Hell...... 107 XXX. Contempt for the World...... 108 XXXI. Love of Solitude...... 109 XXXII. The Solitude of Heart...... 110 XXXIII. The Sight and Love of God in the Next Life will Constitute the Joy of the Blessed...... 112 XXXIV. Meditation before the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar...... 113 XXXV. In God Alone is Found True Peace...... 115 XXXVI. We Ought to Have God Alone as the End of Our Actions...... 115 XXXVII. We must Suffer Everything in order to Please God...... 116 XXXVIII. Happy is he who Desires Nothing but God...... 117 XXXIX. Dryness of Spirit...... 119 XL. The Retired Life...... 120 XLI. Detachment from Creatures...... 121 XLII. Precious is the Death of the Saints...... 122 XLIII. Lukewarmness...... 123 XLIV. Purity of Intention...... 124 XLV. Aspirations after the Country of the Blessed...... 126 PART III. – SPIRITUAL TREATISES *...... 127 I. DIVINE LOVE...... 127 I. How much God Deserves to be Loved...... 127 II. How much God desires to be Loved by Us...... 129 III. Means to Acquire the Love of God...... 131 1. DETACHMENT FROM CREATURES...... 131 2. MEDITATION ON THE PASSION...... 132 3. CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD...... 134 4. MENTAL PRAYER...... 135 5. PRAYER...... 135 II. THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST...... 137 THE POWER OF THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST TO ENKINDLE THE DIVINE LOVE IN EVERY HEART...... 137 I. What the Passion of Jesus Christ has Done for God and for Us...... 137 II. What the Passion of Jesus Christ Requires of Us...... 139 III. A Sweet Entertainment for Souls that Love God, at the Sight of Jesus Crucified...... 140 I. SUFFERINGS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS...... 140 2. DEATH OF JESUS...... 141 4. CONCLUSION...... 144 5. DEVOUT ASPIRATIONS...... 144 III. CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD*...... 146 I. Excellence of this Virtue...... 146 II. Conformity in All Things...... 148 III. Happiness obtained from Perfect Conformity...... 149 IV. God Wishes Only Our Good...... 151 V. Special Practices of this Conformity...... 153 1. ORDINARY OR COMMON ACCIDENTS...... 153 2. NATURAL DEFECTS...... 154 3. CORPORAL MALADIES...... 154 4. LOSS OF USEFUL PERSONS...... 156 5. SPIRITUAL DESOLATION...... 156 6. DEATH...... 158 7. SPIRITUAL GOODS...... 159 VI. Conclusion...... 160 HYMN. : How Amiable is the Will of God ?...... 161 IV. THE WAY TO CONVERSE ALWAYS AND FAMILIARLY WITH GOD...... 161 I. God wishes Us to speak to Him with Confidence and Familiarity...... 161 II. It is Easy and Agreeable to entertain One’s Self with God...... 163 III. Of what, when, and how we should converse with God...... 165
Page 3 of 210 I. IN GENERAL...... 165 2. IN TRIALS...... 165 3. IN JOYS...... 166 4. AFTER A FAULT...... 167 5. IN DOUBTS...... 168 6. FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR...... 168 7. THE DESIRE FOR HEAVEN...... 168 IV. God answers the Soul that speaks to Him...... 169 V. Practical Summary...... 169 HYMN. - Dialogue between Jesus and the Loving Soul...... 173 V. A SHORT TREATISE ON PRAYER* ...... 176 I. The Necessity of Prayer...... 176 II. The Efficacy of Prayer...... 177 III. The Conditions Requisite for the Due Performance of Prayer...... 179 IV. God Hears even the Prayers of Sinners...... 181 V. God has pledged Himself to Grant us not Temporal but Spiritual Goods...... 182 VI. Conclusion...... 183 HYMN. - Description of the Life of a Soul, the true Spouse of Jesus, from the Words of St. Bernard...... 184 VI. INTERIOR TRIALS...... 185 I. Rest for Scrupulous Souls in Obedience to their Director...... 185 II. Counsels, from which a Soul, when in Desolation, may Derive Comfort and Confidence...... 189 A SPIRITUAL CONFERENCE - BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND ONE WHO SEEKS HIS ADVICE WHEN SUBJECTED BY GOD TO SPIRITUAL TRIBULATIONS...... 189 III. Reasons for having Confidence in the Divine Mercy through the Merits of Jesus Christ...... 193 IV. Other Special Counsels...... 195 V. Example: St. Lidwine...... 200 HYMN. - The Loving Soul in Desolation...... 201 VII. SURE SIGNS BY WHICH WE MAY KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE THE DIVINE LOVE IN US...... 202 HYMN. - The Soul introduced into the Wine-Cellar, and already inebriated with Divine Love...... 205 VIII. RULE OF LIFE. (Abridged*) ...... 206