Doubtless we ought every day of our lives to meditate on the great judgment with which the world will come to an end, and say, whilst performing every one of our actions: "After this the judgment." (Heb. 9:27)
Nevertheless, the Church, believing this thought to be eminently useful to enable us to enter into the sentiments of fervor suitable to the holy season of Advent, summons us specially to meditate upon it through the recital of the last judgment which she causes us to read in the Gospel . . .
It is our duty to enter into her views; to conceive a lively faith in the coming of this great day, which will be so consoling for the good, who will then receive the recompense of their virtues, so terrible for sinners, who will then receive the punishment due to their vices; and to listen, like St. Jerome, to the voice of the trumpet which will summon us to it. May this voice resound in the bottom of our hearts during the whole of this holy season, in order to make us tremble at the mere appearance of evil, as well as to encourage us in the practice of good.
-- Hamon,
Meditations
