St Cyprian of Carthage: with a sound mind, with a firm faith, with a robust virtue, let us be prepared for...

. . . with a sound mind, with a firm faith, with a robust virtue, let us be prepared for the whole will of God: laying aside the fear of death, let us think on the immortality which follows. 

By this let us show ourselves to be what we believe, that we do not grieve over the departure of those dear to us, and that when the day of our summons shall arrive, we come without delay and without resistance to the Lord when He Himself calls us. 

And this, as it ought always to be done by God's servants, much more ought to be done now-now that the world is collapsing and is oppressed with the tempests of mischievous ills; in order that we who see that terrible things have begun, and know that still more terrible things are imminent, may regard it as a great advantage to depart from it as quickly as possible.

We should ever and anon reflect that we have renounced the world, and are in the meantime living here as guests and strangers. 

Let us greet the day which assigns each of us to his own home, which snatches us hence, and sets us free from the snares of the world, and restores us to paradise and the kingdom.

St Cyprian of Carthage