saints is called their birth-day; yes, because when they die they are borne to that blessed life which will never have an end. S. Athanasius observes, that " the just die not, but are translated." To the just death is no other than the transition to eternal life. " O beautiful death," says S. Augustine, " and who is he that does not long for thee, seeing that thou art the end of all work the end of toil, and the beginning of eternal rest?" Therefore the saint earnestly prayed, saying, " May I die, O Lord, that I may see Thee."
S. Cyprian observes, that death must indeed be feared by the sinner, because he will pass from a temporal to an eternal death. " Let him fear to die who shall pass to the second death;" but he who is in the grace of God, does not fear death, because he will pass from death to an eternal life. In the life of S. John the Almoner it is related, that a certain rich man recommended his only son to the saint, and gave him much alms, so that the saint might obtain a long life for his son from God; but the son soon afterwards died. As the father was grieving over the death of his son, God sent an angel to him, who said, " Thou didst seek a long life for thy son; know that he is now enjoying it eternally in Paradise." This is the grace that Jesus Christ obtained for us, as it was promised in Hosea, " O death, I will be thy plague." (Hos. xiii. 14.) Jesus, in dying for us, made our death to become life. When Pionius the martyr was being borne to the scaffold, he was asked by those who led him, " How it was he could go so joyfully to death?" The saint made answer, " You deceive yourselves; I go not to death, but to life." Even thus was the youthful S. Symphorian encouraged by his mother when the time of his martyrdom drew nigh, " O my son, life is not taken away from thee; it is exchanged for a better."
Affections and Prayers.
O God of my soul, for the time past I have dishonoured Thee, in turning away from Thee; but Thy Son has honoured Thee in sacrificing His life to Thee upon the Cross. Through the honour done to Thee by Thy dearly beloved Son, forgive the dishonour that I have done Thee. I am very sorry, O my Sovereign Good, for having offended Thee; and I promise from
