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that filthy vomit, by
resisting evil thoughts, by not using bad words; by fleeing from bad
companions and dangerous conversation. You must bring forth fruit worthy
of penance, and the
bringing forth of such fruit implies also that we attend to the service of God,
and endeavor to
serve him more than we offended him; For, as you have yielded to your
members to
serve uncleanness and iniquity, so now yield your members to love justice.
Rom.
6:19. Thus have done a St. Mary Magdalen, a St. Augustine, a St. Mary of
Egypt, a St. Margaret of
Cortona, who by their works of penance and sanctification rendered themselves
more dear to God
than others who had been less sinful, but more tepid. St. Gregory says: "For the
most part, a
fervent life after sin is the more pleasing to God than a life which, though
innocent, is tepid.
And thus does the saint explain the following passage of the Gospel: There
shall be joy in heaven
upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety nine just who need not
penance.
Luke 15:7. This is understood of the sinner who, after having arisen
from sin, sets about serving
God with more fervor than others who have long been just .
This is to bring forth fruit worthy of penance not content one's self with
hearing sermons.
visiting the church, without abandoning sin, or avoiding the occasions of it. To
act thus, is
rather a mockery of God, and calculated to excite him to greater wrath.
And think not, pursues St.-
John the Baptist, think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for
our father. Matt. 3:9.
It will not do to say, we have the Mother of God to assist us, we have our
patron saint to procure
us deliverance; because if we do not abandon our sins the saints cannot help us.
The saints are the
friends of God; hence they not only have no inclination, but they would even
feel ashamed, to
succor the obstinate. Let us
tremble, because the
Lord has already
published the sentence: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit,
shall be cut
down and cast into the fire. Matt. 7:19. Brother, how many years
have you been in the world? Tell
me what fruit of good works have you hitherto borne, what honor have you
rendered to God by your
life? Sin, outrage, contempt, such are the fruit you have borne, the honor you
have rendered to God
God now in his mercy gives you time for penance, in order that you may bewail
the injuries you
have done him, and love him the remainder of your days. What do you intend to
do? What have you
resolved upon? Resolve at once to give yourself to God. What do you expect?
unless that if you do
not at once turn to God, you shall be cut down and cast into the fire of hell.
But let us now bring our instruction to a
conclusion; the Lord has sent me to preach here today, and has inspired you to
come and listen to
me, because he wishes to spare you the punishment which threatens you, if you do
really turn to
him: Leave not out one word, if so be they will hearken and be converted,
every one from his evil
way, that I may repent me of the evil which I think do unto them.
Jer. 26:2. The Lord has desired me to tell you on his part that he is
willing to relent, and
withdraw the scourge which he meant to in
flict upon you: That I may repent of me of the
evil which I think to do unto them; but on this condition, if so be they will
harken and be con
verted every one from his evil way, if they truly reform, otherwise he
will put his threat in
execution. Tremble then if you be not yet
resolved to change your life
But on the other hand, be joyful if you
mean to turn in good earnest to God. Let the
heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord, Ps 104:3, because God is
all tenderness and love to those
that seek him. The Lord is good to the soul that seeketh Him. Lam. 3:25.
Neither does the
Lord know how to re-
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