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Hosts, continues the
prophet, a consumption, and a cutting short upon all the earth. I
am not the
prophet Isaias, but I can say that I see the scourge which is hanging over us if
we do not be
converted.
Hear how the Lord says to you: Who requires these things at your hands?
Is. 1:12. Who required
your perpetual exercises and your visits of devotion to the church? I will have
nothing from you
unless you abandon sin: Offer sacrifice no more in vain. Of what use are your
devotions if you do
not amend your lives. My soul hateth your solemnities. Know, says
the Lord, that your
homage and external devotions are hateful to my soul whilst you think by these
to avert your
chastisement without removing your offences: With burnt offerings Thou
wilt not be delighted, a
sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit. Ps. 1:18. No devotions,
or alms, or penitential works
are accepted by God from a soul in the state of sin, and without repentance. God
accepts the acts
of him alone who is contrite for his sin, and resolved upon a change of
life.
Oh, surely God is not to be mocked! Gal. 6:7. I never commanded you, he
says, to perform those
devotions and acts of penance: For
I spoke not to your fathers concerning the
matter of burnt offering and sacrifices, but this thing I commanded them,
saying: Hearken to My
voice, and I will be your God.
Jer. 7:22. What I wish of you, says God, is, that you hear my voice and
change your life, and
make a good confession, with real sorrow, for you must know yourselves, that
your other
confessions, followed by so many
relapses, have been worth nothing. I wish that you should do violence to
yourselves in breaking
with that connection, with that company. I wish that you should endeavor to
restore that
property, to make good to your neighbor such a loss. Hearken to My voice,
obey My command,
and I will be your God. I will then be to you the God of mercy, such as
you would
have me to be. Cardinal Hugo, in his comment upon these words of our Lord, in
the Gospel according
to St. Matthew: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear, Matt. 11:15,
says: "Some have ears; but
ears which do not serve them for hearing." How many attend sermons and receive
admonitions
from the confessor, in which they are told all that they must do in order to
please God; but they
leave the church only to live worse than before. How can God be appeased by
such? or how can
such be delivered from the divine chastisement? Offer up the sacrifice of
justice, and trust in the Lord, Ps. 4:6, says David Honor God not in
appearance, but by
works. It is that which is meant by "the sacrifice of justice;" honor him by
bewailing your
sins, by the frequentation of the sacraments, by a change of life and then hope
in the
Lord; but to hope while you continue the state of sin, is not hope it is
rashness, it is a
deceit of the enemy, and renders you more odious in the sight of God, and more
deserving
of punishment.
My brethren, you see
that the Lord is in wrath, that he already has his hand lifted to strike with
the scourge which threatens us; how do you think to escape? Who hath
showed you to flee from
the wrath to come.?. Matt. 3:7. Bring forth, therefore,
fruit worthy of penance, says St. John
the Baptist, preaching to the Jews of his day. You must do penance, but penance
deserving of his
pardon; that is, it must be true and resolute. Your anger must be changed into
meekness, by the
forgiveness of those who offend you; your intemperance must become abstinence,
by
observing the fasts commanded, at least, by the Church; and by
abstaining from the immoderate
use of intoxicating drinks, which change man into a beast: therefore you must
avoid the public
house; impurity must give way in you to chastity, by not returning to
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