he last agony of death, the person could not recover except by a
miracle, and God does not perform miracles for ordinary reasons. If you
are in doubt whether the person is sick enough to receive the last
Sacraments, do not be the judge yourself, send for the priest and let
him judge; and then all the responsibility is removed from you in case
the person should die without the Sacraments. Very often persons are
near death, and their relatives do not know it. The priest, like the
doctor, has experience in these cases, and can judge of the danger.
Again, do not foolishly believe, as some seem to do, that if the priest
comes to anoint the sick person it will frighten him by making him think
he is going to die. It has never been known that the priest killed
anyone by coming to see him; and if these same persons who are now sick
receive the Sacraments in the church from the very same priest, why
should they be afraid to receive them from him in their house? And if
they are so near death that a little fright would kill them, then they
are surely sick enough to receive the Sacraments. The sick person who is
afraid that Extreme Unction will kill him or hasten his death shows that
he has not the proper faith and confidence in God's grace. They who do
not wish to receive Holy Communion or the Holy Viaticum in their houses
do not want Our Lord to visit them. How ungrateful they are! When Our
Lord was on earth the people carried the sick out into the streets to
lay them near Him that He might cure them. Now, He does not require us
to do that, but comes Himself to the sick in the most humble manner, and
they refuse to receive Him. See how ungrateful, therefore, and how
wanting in faith and devotion such persons are! If the sick person is
one who has been careless about his religion, and has for some time
neglected to receive the Sacraments, do not wait for him to ask for the
priest or for his consent to send for him. Few persons ever believe they
are so near death as they really are: they are afraid to think of their
past lives, and do not like to send for the priest, or at least they put
off doing so, frequently till it is too late. The devil tempts them to
put off the reception of the Sacraments, in hopes that they may die
without them, and be his forever. In these cases speak to the sick man
quietly and gently, and ask him if he would not like to have the priest
come and say a few prayers for his recovery. Do not say anything about