Thus does the royal prophet speak of sinners: They tempted and provoked the most high God. (Psalm 77:56) God is incapable of grief; but were it possible for him to grieve, every sin that men commit would deeply afflict him and deprive him of happiness.
Sin, O God! is the return I have made Thee for Thy love! How often have I renounced Thy friendship for the sake of some wretched self-gratification O infinite goodness! because Thou art such, pardon me my offences.
St. Bernard, moreover, adds that the malice of sin is so great that it would annihilate God, were this possible." If God could die, mortal sin would deprive him of life. And how? Father Medina answers, "Because it would give him infinite sorrow." How afflicting is it to be injured by those whom we have especially befriended and loved! What then must it be for God to behold man, whom he has favored with so many and so great benefits and loved with so great love, even to shedding his blood and laying down his life, — what must it be to behold man turn his back upon him and despise his grace for a mere nothing, for a fit of passion, or a momentary pleasure! Were he capable of grief and sadness, he would die of the bitterness which such conduct would occasion him. Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch with me. (Matthew 26:38)
Dearest Jesus, I am the lost sheep; Thou art the good shepherd who hast laid down Thy life for Thy sheep; have pity on me, pardon me for all the displeasure which my sins have occasioned Thee. I am grieved, O Jesus! for having offended Thee, and love Thee with my whole soul.
It was because our loving Redeemer had our sins constantly before his eyes that his life was so painful and full of bitterness. This was the cause of his sweating blood and suffering the agonies of death in the garden of Gethsemane, where he declared that "his soul was sorrowful even unto death." What made him sweat blood and cast him into so dreadful an agony but the sight of the sins of men?
Give me then, O Jesus ! a share of the sorrow which then oppressed Thee for my sins; grant that it may afflict me during my whole life, and, if Thou pleasest, even unto death. O Jesus! I desire nevermore to displease Thee, I will nevermore afflict Thee, but will love Thee with all my strength, who art my love, my life, and my only good. Suffer me not to offend Thee any more. Mary, my hope, have compassion on me.
Friday
Sunday
The Vanity of the World
Only the grave, saith holy Job, remaineth for me. (Job 17:1) Days and years pass away, pleasures, honors, and riches pass away, and what will be the end ? Death will come and strip us of all, and we shall be buried in the grave to corrupt and moulder into dust, deserted and forgotten by all. Alas! how, in the end of our lives, will the remembrance of all we have acquired in this world serve for nothing but to increase our anguish and our uncertainty of salvation!
O death, O death, never depart from before my eyes. O God, do Thou enlighten me.
My life is cut off as by a weaver. (Isaiah 38:12) How many, in the midst of executing their long-contemplated designs, are overtaken by death and deprived of all things! Ah, with what pain and remorse will the goods of this world be regarded, on the bed of death, by those who have been unduly attached to them! To worldlings who are spiritually blind the goods of this present life appear great; but death will discover what they really are: dust—smoke, and vainity. Before the light of this last lamp all the dazzling grandeur of this world will vanish and disappear. The greatest fortunes, the highest honors, when considered on the bed of death, will lose all their value and splendor. The shade of death will obscure even crowns and sceptres.
Grant me, O God! Thy holy grace, for this alone is all I desire. I am grieved for having ever despised such a treasure. Jesus, have pity on me.
Of what avail then will riches be at the hour of death, when nothing will remain for us but a wooden coffin and a winding-sheet? Of what avail will be the honors which we have acquired, when no others will remain for us but a funeral procession and a tomb, which will not be able to afford us the least satisfaction, if our souls should be lost? And of what avail will the beauty of the body be, when the body itself will become a mass of worms, infect the air with its stench, and excite horror in all who behold it ?
My dear Redeemer, although I knew that by sinning I should forfeit Thy friendship, yet did I sin; but I hope for pardon from Thee who hast died to purchase pardon for me. Oh that I had never offended Thee, my good God! I behold the love which Thou hast. shown me; and this increases my grief for having displeased Thee who art so good a Father. I love Thee, O Lord! and will never live without loving Thee; give me perseverance. Mary, my mother, pray to Jesus for me.
O death, O death, never depart from before my eyes. O God, do Thou enlighten me.
My life is cut off as by a weaver. (Isaiah 38:12) How many, in the midst of executing their long-contemplated designs, are overtaken by death and deprived of all things! Ah, with what pain and remorse will the goods of this world be regarded, on the bed of death, by those who have been unduly attached to them! To worldlings who are spiritually blind the goods of this present life appear great; but death will discover what they really are: dust—smoke, and vainity. Before the light of this last lamp all the dazzling grandeur of this world will vanish and disappear. The greatest fortunes, the highest honors, when considered on the bed of death, will lose all their value and splendor. The shade of death will obscure even crowns and sceptres.
Grant me, O God! Thy holy grace, for this alone is all I desire. I am grieved for having ever despised such a treasure. Jesus, have pity on me.
Of what avail then will riches be at the hour of death, when nothing will remain for us but a wooden coffin and a winding-sheet? Of what avail will be the honors which we have acquired, when no others will remain for us but a funeral procession and a tomb, which will not be able to afford us the least satisfaction, if our souls should be lost? And of what avail will the beauty of the body be, when the body itself will become a mass of worms, infect the air with its stench, and excite horror in all who behold it ?
My dear Redeemer, although I knew that by sinning I should forfeit Thy friendship, yet did I sin; but I hope for pardon from Thee who hast died to purchase pardon for me. Oh that I had never offended Thee, my good God! I behold the love which Thou hast. shown me; and this increases my grief for having displeased Thee who art so good a Father. I love Thee, O Lord! and will never live without loving Thee; give me perseverance. Mary, my mother, pray to Jesus for me.
Friday
The Certainty of Being Either Saved or Lost
With fear and trembling, saith the Apostle, work out your salvation. (Philippians 2:12) In order to be saved we should tremble lest we be lost, for there is no medium; we must be either saved or lost forever. He who trembles not is in great danger of being lost, because he takes but little care to employ the means of obtaining salvation. God desires that all should be saved, and he gives to all his grace; but he requires that all should co-operate for this end. All desire to be saved; many, because they will not employ the means of salvation, are lost. St. Philip Neri used to say, " Heaven is not made for the slothful."
Enlighten me, O Lord, that I may know what I ought to do, and what to avoid, for I desire to do all that Thou requirest of me. I am determined, by Thy grace, to save my soul.
St. Teresa said to her religious, "One soul! my daughters, one eternity!" She meant that in this world we ought not to attend to anything but to the salvation of our souls; because if the soul be lost, all will be lost; and if once lost, will be lost forever. Benedict XII, being asked by a prince for a favor that he could not grant without committing sin, answered the ambassador: "Tell your prince that if I had two souls I would give him one, but as I have only one, I cannot consent to lose it for his sake." Thus should we answer the devil or the world when they offer us forbidden fruit.
O God! how often have I lost my soul by forfeiting Thy grace! But since Thou offerest me Thy pardon, I detest all the offences I have committed against Thee, and love Thee above all things.
Would that we were fully impressed with the meaning of that great maxim of St. Francis Xavier, "There is but one evil, and there is but one good in the world!" The only evil is damnation; the only good, salvation. No; poverty, infirmity, ignominies are not evils; these when embraced with resignation will increase our glory in heaven. On the other hand, health, riches, and honors are not goods for too many Christians, because they become to them greater occasion of losing their souls.
Save me then, O God! and do with me what Thou pleasest. Thou knowest and willest what is best for me. I abandon myself to Thy mercy: Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. (Psalms 30:6) I am so sorry for having been hitherto opposed to Thy will, as to die to expiate my offences; but now I love Thee, and will nothing but what Thou willest. Grant me Thy love, that I may be faithful to Thee. And, Mary, give me thy powerful assistance.
Enlighten me, O Lord, that I may know what I ought to do, and what to avoid, for I desire to do all that Thou requirest of me. I am determined, by Thy grace, to save my soul.
St. Teresa said to her religious, "One soul! my daughters, one eternity!" She meant that in this world we ought not to attend to anything but to the salvation of our souls; because if the soul be lost, all will be lost; and if once lost, will be lost forever. Benedict XII, being asked by a prince for a favor that he could not grant without committing sin, answered the ambassador: "Tell your prince that if I had two souls I would give him one, but as I have only one, I cannot consent to lose it for his sake." Thus should we answer the devil or the world when they offer us forbidden fruit.
O God! how often have I lost my soul by forfeiting Thy grace! But since Thou offerest me Thy pardon, I detest all the offences I have committed against Thee, and love Thee above all things.
Would that we were fully impressed with the meaning of that great maxim of St. Francis Xavier, "There is but one evil, and there is but one good in the world!" The only evil is damnation; the only good, salvation. No; poverty, infirmity, ignominies are not evils; these when embraced with resignation will increase our glory in heaven. On the other hand, health, riches, and honors are not goods for too many Christians, because they become to them greater occasion of losing their souls.
Save me then, O God! and do with me what Thou pleasest. Thou knowest and willest what is best for me. I abandon myself to Thy mercy: Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. (Psalms 30:6) I am so sorry for having been hitherto opposed to Thy will, as to die to expiate my offences; but now I love Thee, and will nothing but what Thou willest. Grant me Thy love, that I may be faithful to Thee. And, Mary, give me thy powerful assistance.
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