CRUSADERS FOR CHRIST
  • Blog
    • Staff only
  • About Us
  • Downloads
    • Catholic Homeschool - Study Guides
    • Handwriting
    • Student Planners
    • Coloring Pictures
    • St. Catherine's Academy Gazette
    • Printable Children's books
  • Catholic Reading
    • Books We Have Enjoyed
    • Saint of the Day
    • Just Stories
    • Chapter Books >
      • Jesus of Nazareth - The Story of His Life Simply Told
      • Little Therese
      • Lisbeth - The Story of a First Communion
    • Sermons for Children
    • This and That
    • The Blessed Mother for the Child in all of us!
  • For Moms
    • Popular Instructions on the Bringing Up of Children

24th Sunday after Pentecost - Prepare to Face the Judgment

11/10/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
My dear children: As our holy faith teaches us, Jesus Christ will come again at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead. All men that ever lived will rise out of their graves and be gathered together before the Lord of Heaven and earth. God wills all men to be saved, but to a great majority of mankind the sentence of condemnation will be pronounced, as men will not do what is necessary for obtaining salvation. Children, what must we do in order to obtain a favorable judgment? Listen and I shall tell you.

Make a good confession. Many nominal Catholics live for years in entire forgetfulness of God and add sin upon sin. In order to set things right they must make a confession of their past life. There are some who confess invalidly on account of their want of contrition and a firm purpose of amendment; some do not examine their conscience strictly enough, and on that account their confession is very imperfect. Even for those who are pious a rehearsal of their past confessions is at times advisable. In their examination of conscience they might find that one or the other of their past confessions was essentially faulty.

St. John Climacus relates the following consoling story: There lived in the East a young man who had from his youth given himself up to every kind of sin, and was remarkable even among those who were wicked for his evil deeds. But God spoke to the heart of this young man and inspired him with the resolution to return to his Heavenly Father. Going at once to a monastery in Alexandria, he fell down at the feet of the Abbot and besought him to admit him into the number of his religious. The holy man who had heard much about the bad life of this man was indeed glad to see him kneeling so humbly at his feet, but fearing that the present emotions would pass away, he said to him: 'My child, you will
never be able to practice the austerities which our monks practice; besides you would never be able to confess your sins publicly in Church, as is the custom amongst us.' 'Yes, my Father," he answered, "not only would I confess all my sins before the monks of your house, but I am willing to confess them in public before all the world, if necessary.' The abbot on hearing this admitted him.

On the following Sunday, when the monks were assembled in the church to the number of two hundred and thirty, the Abbot ordered the young man to be brought in. He entered clothed in sackcloth and covered with ashes. The Abbot then placed him in the middle of the Church and told him to begin his confession. He at once obeyed and recited his sins amid sobs and tears. During the time he was thus accusing himself one of the monks saw standing at his side a beautiful angel. He held a large open book and with a pen he effaced every sin that was confessed. God was pleased to make known in this way that He forgave that great sinner all that he had done wrong, because he was sorry for his sins, and confessed them.

The same thing happens to you, children, every time you make a good confession. God's angel effaces your sins from the book in which they were recorded, never to appear against you again. Oh, try then, always to make good confessions that your sins may be blotted out, and that your soul may become beautiful before God. If you find it difficult to tell some sin you may have committed, ask the most holy Mother of God to obtain for you the grace to confess it.

When we find that a general confession is necessary we must never delay it. No one knows whether he will be so situated as to make a good general confession. A Spanish nobleman came one day to a missionary, requesting him to hear his general confession. To the question why he wished to make one then he replied : "Ah, must I not die! But if I wait till that time the thought of wife and children, fear, the vehemence of the sickness, may prevent me from being calm and deliberate ; how great, therefore, would be my imprudence if I should put off this business to such an inopportune time and under so many difficulties." And he would not defer his general confession for a single day. Children, do not let a mission, or a jubilee, or a change of your state of life pass by without making a general confession.

Marie, spouse of Louis XV. of France, had a son whom she also trained in the fear of God up from his infancy. When he grew up to be a young man he had to leave his mother's house and live for a time among strangers. During his absence word was brought to his mother that he had to spend part of his time among those who would take a pleasure in corrupting his young heart. As soon as she was informed of this, she threw herself on her knees at the foot of the crucifix and recommended her beloved child to the protection of his Heavenly Father. "O my God," she prayed, "take my darling boy to Thyself, rather than permit him to offend Thee by sin, or to lose the treasure of his innocence."

God heard the prayer of that good mother and delivered him from the evil that threatened him. When he returned home, the first question his mother asked him was if he had much to endure from the companions he had to mingle with. "Yes, my mother," he replied, "great indeed were the dangers they put around me to ruin me; but, thanks be to God, and to your prayers, I have still kept my soul pure and stainless." Not long after this time the young Prince became suddenly very ill and died in sentiments of great piety. On the evening of the day of his death his mother sent for her other children, and, with tears in her eyes, said to them: "Your brother is dead; it is I, your mother, who asked God to take him to Himself. Sometime ago I heard that he was in danger of committing sin. I went on my knees and prayed fervently to God to take him out of this world rather than permit him to lose his innocence. God has heard me, and I thank Him for His goodness to me. Still I weep for him, for I loved him as dearly as any mother could love her child."

Children, you have just heard how prayer kept the son of the king pure and innocent, you can rest assured that his conscience was always in order. How calm and innocent he must have stood before the just Judge. In order to persevere in grace unto the end we need special help from God, for the enemies of our soul are very powerful. We must ask for this help and that is obtained first of all by prayer. Only those obtain salvation who pray, and those are lost who do not pray. All the saints have been saved because they prayed. Who then would not pray with fervor, since so much depends on prayer?

The Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist are another means to keep our conscience in order. As often as you make a humble and sincere confession you are cleansed from all your sins, both mortal and venial, and at the same time you also receive special graces by which you are strengthened against sin. Holy Communion affords us extraordinary power and strength to overcome all the assaults of the devil and to persevere in good. Besides these means there is another and that is devotion to the saints of God. By devotion to the saints we can obtain many graces, they are in great favor with God and are His friends. But we may promise to ourselves still greater graces from our devotion to Mary, because she is not only a servant of God, but also the Mother of God. The prayer of Mary, being the prayer of a mother, has the virtue almost of a command.

A young man who had many times fallen into mortal sins went to confession to a certain priest. The good priest in order to encourage his penitent to be good, said : "My child, I will tell you an easy means to overcome temptations. If you do what I tell you, you will never fall again." "Oh, my Father," he replied, "tell me what it is, for with all my heart I desire to overcome all my evil habits." "Say a 'Hail Mary' every morning and evening in honor of her immaculate purity, and whenever you are tempted to do evil, say to her at once, 'O Mary, help me, for I am thine.' " The young man followed this advice, and in a short time was entirely delivered from his bad habits. Now it happened a short time afterwards that he was relating this to some of his acquaintances whom he had formerly scandalized by his bad conduct. Amongst those who were listening to him was a young officer, who, like himself, had fallen into many sins, because he went willfully with bad companions. As soon as he had heard the young man's story he resolved to follow his example. He at once went to confession and continued to lead a pious life. "O Mary, help me, for I am thine," was his watchword whenever any temptation assailed him. Some months after his conversion he had the imprudence to go again to visit those companions who had formerly led him into sin; he wished to see if they had followed his example. But no sooner had he reached the place where they dwelt than a strange feeling of terror came over him, and he cried out : "O Mary, help me, for I am thine." That very instant he felt himself thrust back by an invisible hand and found himself at a distance from the house. He immediately saw the danger in which he had been and returned his most heartfelt thanks to God and His Holy Mother for having thus preserved him.

My dear boys and girls, you know what you must do that you may be prepared to face judgment. You must keep your conscience in order and therefore fervently practice prayer, read pious books, frequently receive the Sacraments and have a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Consider that your doom for all eternity will be decided before the judgment seat of God, and therefore let it be your only business to prepare yourselves well for the Day of Judgment.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Holy Mother Church  dedicates the month of April to the
    Holy Ghost
    Picture
    Student Planners
    Handwriting Books
    Coloring Books
                      COPYRIGHT
    The purpose of this website is to share the beautiful Catholic resources that God has so richly blessed us with.  All texts unless they are my own words have their sources quoted, and most of them are in the public domain. Any educational items that I have made for or with my children are NOT TO BE USED FOR PROFIT, but are meant to be used for personal use by individuals and families. You may link to our site if you so choose.

    A Saint for everyday and good reading at:

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    October 2022
    July 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

    Categories

    All
    10th Day Of Christmas
    10th Sun After Pentecost
    10th Sunday After Pentecost
    11th Day Of Christmas
    11th Sunday After Pentecost
    12 Days Of Christmas
    12th Day Of Christmas
    12th Sun After Pentecost
    13th Sun After Pentecost
    14th Sun After Pentecost
    15th Sun After Pentecost
    16th Sun After Pentecost
    17th Sun After Pentecost
    18th Sun After Pentecost
    19th Sun After Pentecost
    1st Commandment
    1st Sun After Easter
    1st Sun After Epiphany
    1st Sun After Pentecost
    1st Sunday After Easter
    1st Sunday After Epiphany
    1st Sunday Of Advent
    2016-2017 School Planners
    20th Sun After Pentecost
    21st Sun After Pentecost
    22nd Sun After Pentecost
    23rd Sun After Pentecost
    24th Sunday After Pentecost
    2nd Day Of Christmas
    2nd Sun After Easter
    2nd Sun After Easter
    2nd Sun. After Pentecost
    2nd Sunday After Epiphany
    2nd Sunday Of Advent
    2nd Sunday Of Lent
    2nd Sun Of Advent
    3rd Day Of Christmas
    3rd Sun After Easter
    3rd Sun After Easter
    3rd Sun. After Epiphany
    3rd Sun After Pentecost
    3rd Sunday Of Advent
    3rd Sunday Of Lent
    3rd Sun Of Advent
    4th Day Of Christmas
    4th Sun After Easter
    4th Sun After Epiphany
    4th Sun After Pentecost
    4th Sunday After Pentecost
    4th Sunday Of Advent
    4th Sunday Of Lent
    5th Day Of Christmas
    5th Sun After Easter
    5th Sun After Pentecost
    5th Sunday After Epiphany
    5th Sunday After Pentecost
    6th Day Of Christmas
    6th Sunday After Epiphany
    7th Day Of Christmas
    7th Sunday After Pentecost
    8th Day Of Christmas
    8th Sunday After Pentecost
    9th Day Of Christmas
    A Candle Is Lighted
    Admonition
    Advent
    Advent Coloring Pictures
    Advent Time
    Advent To Christmas
    Agnes
    Alban's Day
    All Saints Day
    All Souls Day
    Ambrose
    Ascension Day
    Ascension Thursday
    Ash Wednesday
    Assumption
    Assumption Of The B.V.M.
    Bad Books
    Bellas-little-shoppe
    Be Strong
    Bishop-hay
    Blessed Richard Gywn
    Blessed-virgin-mary
    Book Giveaway5ede0bf3e3
    Bridget
    Bvm-coloring-book
    Calling Good Evil And Evil Good
    Candlemas
    Candlemas Ceremonies
    Can-you-explain-catholic-customs
    Cardinal Pie
    Catechism-in-examples
    Catechism In Rhyme
    Catherine Laboure
    Catherine Of Siena
    Catholic Calendar
    Catholic Ceremonies
    Catholic-ebooks
    Catholic-marriage
    Catholic-reading
    Catholics-ready-answer
    Catholics-ready-answer
    Catholic Traditions
    Certificates Of Completion
    Chapter One
    Chapter Two
    Charity
    Childrens-books-pdf
    Childrens-meditation
    Childrens-sermons
    Childrens Sermons6a865c90b1
    Childs-history-of-apostles
    Christian-in-the-world
    Christmas
    Christmas Book List
    Christmas-coloring-book
    Christmas-customs
    Christmas Day
    Christmas Eve
    Christmas-octave-prayers
    Christmastide
    Circumcision-of-our-lord
    Circumcision-of-our-lord
    Coloring Book
    Coloring Pictures
    Come The End
    Communion Of Saints
    Confiteor
    Cradle Hymn
    Creeds-and-deeds
    Crusaders-for-christ
    Damien Of Molokai
    Dangers Of The Day
    Daughters Of Charity
    Devotion-to-mary
    Dorothy
    Downloads
    Duties-of-a-christian-father
    Duties-of-the-christian-mother
    Dymphna
    Easter Sunday
    Ecclesiastical Year
    Ecclesiastical-year
    Elizabeth Of Hungary
    Ember Friday In Advent
    Ember Saturday In Advent
    Ember Wed. In Advent
    Epiphany
    Epiphany For Children
    Epiphany - House Blessing
    Epiphany The Twelth Night
    Evangelist
    Evils Of Worldliness
    Faith
    Faith Of Our Fathers
    False Christs
    False Prophets
    False Worship
    Family And Catholic Customs
    Fasting
    Father Lasance
    Father Muller
    Feast Of The Holy Family
    February 2016
    First Sunday Of Lent
    First Sun. Of Advent
    For Children
    Francis Xavier
    Genealogy Of St. Joachim And St. Anne
    Genevieve
    Gifts At Christmas
    Give-a-Way
    Glory Be
    God Of Mercy And Compassion
    God The Teacher Of Mankind
    Goffine's Devout Instruction
    Goffine's Devout Instruction
    Good Friday
    Guardian Angel
    Guardian Angels
    Guardian Angels
    Guarding The Eyes
    Hail Mary
    Handwriting Books
    Handwriting Practice
    Heaven
    Heaven Is The Prize
    Heresy
    Hilary - January 14th
    Holy Cross Day
    Holydays And History
    Holy Ghost Novena
    Holy Innocents
    Holy Mass
    Holy Name Of Jesus
    Holy Name Of Mary
    Holy Souls
    Holy Thursday
    Holy Week
    Homeschool
    Honor-thy-father-and-thy-mother
    How Catholics Lose The Faith
    How-to-be-a-saint
    Human Respect
    Human Respect
    Humility
    Immaculate Conception
    In A Little While
    Indifferentism
    Instruction On Advent
    Instruction On Penance
    Instruction On The Feast Of The Holy Rosary
    Issue 42
    Issue 47
    January 2017
    Jesus Christmas
    Jesus With Childen
    Joan Of Arc
    John
    John The Evangelist
    Last Judgment
    Lectures For Boys
    Lent
    Lenten Catechism
    Lenten Lapbook
    Lenten Printables
    Lenten Sermons
    Lent For Children
    Lent To Easter
    Liberal Catholics
    Lisbeth
    Litany Of The BVM
    Little Month Of Saint Joseph
    Little Stories Of Christ's Passion
    Luke
    Maidens For Mary
    March 2016
    Margaret Mary
    Marks Of The Church
    Martinmas
    Mass
    Mass Study Guide
    Matthew - Sept. 21st
    Maundy Thursday
    May 1st
    May - Dedicated To Our Blessed Mother
    Meditations For Lent
    Menu-planner
    Metropolitan-second-reader
    Misericordia-reader
    Modernism
    Mondays-with-father-muller
    Month-of-saint-joseph
    Moral-briefs
    Moral-briefs-chapter-1
    Moral-briefs-chapter-2
    Moral-briefs-chapter-3
    Morning Prayers
    Mothers Day 20132303cd0d22
    Motion-pictures
    My Catholic Faith
    My-catholic-faith-giveaway
    My-prayer-book
    Narcissus
    Nativity
    New Years
    New Years Day
    New Years Eve
    Nov Ninth72cdf219cc
    Nov. Tenth
    One And Only Saving Faith
    On Resignation To The Will Of God
    Our Lady Of Good Counsel
    Palm Sunday
    Parental Rights And Obligations
    Passion Sunday
    Patrick
    Penance
    Pentecost
    Pentecost Sunday
    Persecution Of The Church
    Plain Lessons In Christian Doctrine
    Poor Souls
    Pope St. Pius X
    Popular Instruction To Parents
    Practical Aids For Catholic Teachers
    Prayer
    Prayer Against Temptation
    Prayer For Lent
    Prayer For Perseverance
    Prayer To Obtain The Confidence Of One's Children
    Prayer To St. Joseph
    Precious Blood
    Presentation Of The Bvm
    Printable Books
    Prudence And Liberalism
    Purification
    Purity
    Quinquagesima Sunday
    Quote Of The Day
    Quote Of The Day
    Rearing Of Children
    Reason And Revelation
    Religious Intolerance
    Remember Me
    Remember-me
    Remember Tomorrow
    Rita Of Cascia
    Rogation Days
    Roman Missal
    Rosary
    Sacramentals
    Sacred Passion Of Jesus Christ
    Saint Catherine's Academy Gazette
    Saintly ABC's
    Saints
    Saints Of Christmastide
    Saint Stephen
    Saint Sylvester
    Saint Valentines Day
    Scandal
    School Planners
    Septuagesima Sunday
    Sermon Matter
    Sermon Matters
    Sermons For Chidren's Masses
    Seven Dolors Of The Bvm
    Sexagesima Sunday
    Short Catechism Of Church History
    Short Catechism Of Church History
    Short Instructions
    Short Sermons For Every Sun
    Shrove Tuesday
    Signs Of The Times
    Sins Against Faith
    Spiritual Communion
    Spiritual Communion
    Spiritual Works Of Mercy
    St. Anne's Day
    Stations Of The Cross Coloring Book
    St. Benedict's Day
    St Catherines Academy Gazette
    St. Catherine's Academy Gazette
    Stephen
    St. George
    St-hilary-of-poitiers
    St. John Evangelist
    St. John's Eve
    St. John The Baptist's Day
    St. Joseph
    St. Joseph For Children
    St Lucy
    St Lucy Giveaway
    St. Mary Magdalen
    St Nicholas
    St. Nicholas
    Story Of The Week
    Story Sermonettes
    St-paul-the-first-hermit
    St. Stephen
    St. Therese
    Student Planners
    Study Guide
    Sufferings And Death Of Jesus
    Sunday After Christmas
    Sunday Within The Octave
    Survey
    Survey Doll Costume
    Sweet Name Of Jesus
    Talks To Boys And Girls
    Te Deum
    The Angelus
    The Beauty And Truth Of The Catholic Church
    The BeeHive
    The Childs Desire
    The Christian Father
    The Christian In The World
    The Christian Mother
    The Church Of The Saints
    The Communion Of Saints
    The Drops Of Precious Blood
    The Ecclesiastical Year
    The Friends Of Jesus
    The Good Shepherd
    The Greatest And First Commandment
    The Holy Innocents
    The Love Of God
    The New Year
    The Particular Judgment
    The Prodigal Son
    The Queen's Festivals
    The Sacred Heart
    The Santa Lie
    The Way To God
    The Wondrous Childhood
    This And That
    Thomas A' Becket
    Thomas Aquinas
    Tomorrows Far Away
    TOM'S CRUCIFIX
    To The Heart Of A Child
    Trinity Sunday
    True Christmas Spirit
    Truth
    Truth And Lies
    Tutorials
    Two Thousand Years Ago
    Valentine's Day
    Veronica Of Milan
    Vigil Of Epiphany
    Whitsunday
    Whom The Lord Loveth
    Whom To Believe
    William- Jan. 10th
    With The Church
    Work And Listen To God!
    Works Of Mercy
    You And Your Neighbor
    Your Cross
    Your Neighbor And You

    RSS Feed

© Crusaders for Christ 2012