We are beginning another new year. For some it may be the last year of life on earth.

In 1934, St Maximilian wrote from Japan:

“From the last New Year’s Day to this one, in terms of the passage of time, we have come nearer to death. Every year, every hour, every minute, we come closer to death. This is certain. This is true everywhere. The rich and the poor, the illiterate and the learned, the powerful and the humble of this world, the young and the old, all come closer to death. On this point no exception is possible: all are equal. When the hunter approaches, the ostrich buries her head in the sand, thinking herself safe from danger… so man imitates the ostrich and acts likewise because he does not want to think about death.

Let us however courageously continue our conversation…

What is there after death? Is there an afterlife? If God exists, He must be just. And because in this world justice is often non-existent, it has to be present in the future life.

There is Heaven! There is hell!

Buddhist preachers teach that Heaven and hell exist. I was told clearly by two bonzes (Buddhist monks): “We teach it, but in truth we do not believe it.” To my question “Why therefore do you deceive people?” they answered: “It is difficult to do otherwise.” It is not right to teach something untrue.

If Heaven and hell do not exist, everyone should know. Similarly, all should know if they do exist. All are equal before God. If there is an infinitely perfect God, He should be also wise, good and just. Consequently, after our death, He will judge our thoughts, words and deeds. According to divine justice we receive the maximum reward or the maximum punishment. (…) Whoever observes the world attentively will not be swayed by the arguments of atheists.”

Time passes and does not return. God has assigned to each of us a definite time in which to fulfil His divine plan for our souls; we have only this time and shall have no more. Time ill spent is lost forever. Our life is made up of this uninterrupted, continual flow of time, which never returns. In eternity, on the contrary, time will be no more; we will remain forever in the degree of love which we have reached in life. If we have attained a high degree of love, we shall be fixed forever in that degree of love and glory; if we possess only a slight degree, that is all we shall have throughout eternity. No further progress will be possible when time has ended. “Therefore,
whilst we have time, let us work good to all men” (Gal 6:10). “We must give every moment its full amount of love, and make each passing moment eternal, by giving it value for eternity” (Sr. Carmela of the Holy Ghost, O.C.D.). This is the best way to use the time given us by God. Charity allows us to adhere to God’s will with submission and love and thus at the close of life we shall have realized God’s plan for our souls; we shall have reached the degree of love which God expects from each one of us and with which we shall love and glorify Him for all eternity.

Growth in charity depends upon meritorious acts, that is, good works done under the influence of charity. Every good act merits an increase of grace, which may be given to the soul at once or withheld until the end of life, according to whether the act had been performed with all the love of which the soul was capable, or whether, on the contrary, it was performed with less vigour, generosity, and carefulness than was possible at that moment. In the first case, the increase of charity comes like compound interest which is immediately accrued to the capital, and which then bears interest together with it. In the second case, it is like simple interest which is kept separate from the capital and hence does not increase with it, even though it remains the property of the one who has acquired it.

In order that the merit of our good works, that is, the increase of charity which we have merited by them, be granted immediately, it is necessary that these works be done with all the love possible, that is, with all the good will and generosity of which the soul is capable. Then it is as if the soul opens to receive the increase of love it has merited; and this is added at once to the capital of charity already possessed, immediately increasing its degree and intensity.

We have only the short day of this earthly life in which to grow in love, and if we wish to derive from it the greatest possible profit, we must overcome our natural inertia and carry out our good works “with our whole heart.” Then love will increase immeasurably and we shall be able to say to Our Lord like St. Therese of the Child Jesus: “Your love has grown with me and now it is very deep, the depth of which I am unable to sound” (St, 12). We must, then, make haste while we still have time, for “the night cometh when no man can work (Jn 9:4).

A sign of love for our neighbour is concern for his salvation. I have already mentioned many times how important it is to pray for our neighbours. A great addition to this would be a donated the M.I. flyer or booklet or a virtual card sent through social media. Let us use these means which the Militia Immaculatæ prepares for you.

Fr. Karl Stehlin
Warsaw, on the 24th of December, the Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord