Course XX - Teaching 2: Discursive Meditation on a Text

Text:

“Memento homo, quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris.”

“Remember, man, because you are dust and you have to return to dust.” (Job)

Consider, oh soul, before this open tomb, looking at the body just thrown to it, how all beings have to die. Consider that both rich and poor persons, old and young and ignorant people, that is, all are destined to be buried. Even great beings and great sages die. Look how the Earth has eagerly taken its prey and, according to its cold and inevitable law, is ready to devour that flesh, those human remains. Consider, oh soul, how forgetfulness and silence will cover the individual being along with shovelfuls of earth thrown over the body in the grave. May every shovelful recall you that, like you today, he also walked through wide paths of the world, smiling at the sun and life, conquering pleasures and power; consider that his feet will not tread the soil any more and his eyes will not see the sky; others will occupy his place, his memory will remain forgotten, his tomb will be trodden down, and his memory, like ashes of his remains, will be carried away by the wind.
Death is tremendous and inexorable for a man who has no faith and does not believe in immortality. And death is even terrible for a believer, especially if he was lukewarm in the fulfillment of his spiritual responsibilities.
Oh soul of mine! As long as you live, take advantage of life, so that death may not be so terrible. Take advantage of the rest of your days, so that your soul, along with your body, may not perish in the shadows of despair and loneliness.

Text:

“Pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctorum eius.”

“Precious is death of saints in the presence of God.”

Consider, oh soul, how peaceful is death for the one who lives as if has lived as if every one of his days had been the last days in his life. Through the sweat of his agony, look how this being distills last impurities in order to be present ever purer before God. Through his snores, listen to the last cry of a saint who seemingly proclaims the divine name, “God of mine”. Touch that holy body burning with a fever; how he burns his life in order to satisfy death; smell the perfume exhaled by the dying saint, a perfume that differs so much from that of common mortals; perfume of sanctity, of absorption. Kiss his bloodless hand that so much good did on this Earth, so that he communicates you his virtue.
Open his eyes: look at the sweet smile covering the face of this dying person.
After his agony, he does not experience pain any more; he experiences joy.
Last breath is like a curse for a sinner; but a blessed being is like in ecstasy, since the future opens to him. Future, the beyond is not the unknown for him. An inevitable separation is more tolerable for him.
Follow this example, oh Soul of mine!, and strive for achieving your spiritual vocation, so that all days in your life may be worthy and holy, profitable and useful, as if every one of them had been the last day. With eyes of the imagination look at that which the dying saint is seeing: paths of light, crown of stars, all his companions who preceded him, and glimmering attributes prepared to him; hear the voice of blessed souls saved by him by singing “Open the Gate”, “May I enter the Peace”, “May the Light come”.