ct due to a Sacrament, and hence the Church wishes all its children
to be married at Mass; or at least in the morning. It does not like them
to marry in the evening, and go to the reception of the Sacrament as
they would to a place of vain amusement. For on such occasions they
cannot show the proper respect in the church, and possibly turn the
ceremony into an occasion of sin for all who attend; for they often seem
to forget the holiness of the place and the respect due to the presence
of Our Lord upon the altar. Indeed it should be remembered, at whatever
time the marriage takes place, that conduct, dress, and all else must be
in keeping with the dignity of the place and the holiness of the
Sacrament, and the women should not come into the Church with uncovered
heads.

Lesson 37
ON THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE RESURRECTION, HELL, PURGATORY, AND HEAVEN

408 Q. When will Christ judge us?
A. Christ will judge us immediately after our death, and on the last
day.

"Immediately." In the very room and on the very spot where we die, we
shall be judged in an instant, and even before those around us are sure
that we are really dead. When we have a trial or judgment in one of our
courts, we see the judge listening, the lawyers defending or trying to
condemn, and the witnesses for or against the person accused. We are in
the habit of imagining something of the same kind to take place in the
judgment of God. We see Almighty God seated on His throne; our angel and
patron saint giving their testimony about us--good or bad--and then we
hear the Judge pronounce sentence. This takes place, but not in the way
we imagine, for God needs no witnesses: He knows all. An example will
probably make you understand better what really takes place. If you are
walking over a very muddy road on a dark night, you cannot see the
spattered condition of your clothing; but if you come suddenly into a
strong light you will see at a glance the state in which you are. In the
same way the soul during our earthly life does not see its own
condition; but when it comes into the bright light of God's presence, it
sees in an instant its own state and knows what its sentence will be. It
goes immediately to its reward or punishment. This judgment at the
moment of our death will settle our fate forever. The general judgment
will not change, but only repeat, the sentence before the whole world.
Oh, how we should prepare for that awful moment! See that poor sick