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because sins continue."  Serm. 46, E .B. app.
St. Basil:  "We see the heavens closed, and are saddened by their serenity. The earth is already
dried up, is horrible, and on account of the dryness is full of fissures; the water fountains have
left us."  Hom. in fame et siccit.

3. Scarcity and Sterility.

- "He hath turned. . a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell
therein." Ps. 106:33. Cardinal Hugo: "What does sin do? It turns fruitful land into sterile land.''

- "Cursed is the earth... thorns and
thistles shall it bring forth."  Gen. 3:17.

  "A curse shall devour the earth, and the
inhabitants thereof shall sin." Is. 24:6.

- "The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him."
Job 20:27.

- "I gave her corn and wine, ... which they have used in the service of Baal;
therefore I will return, and take away My
corn."  Osee 2:8. There are some that abuse the goods that God has given to them; they make idols
of them, that is; objects of sin. St. Augustine says:  "Why are you suffering hunger: Why do you
experience want? Because your guilt also increases daily. Be ye converted to God, and leave your
idol. " Serm. 46, E.B. app.

"Honor the Lord with thy substance, . . . and thy barn shall be filled.
 Want is from the Lord in the house of the
wicked; but the habitations of the just shall
be blessed. "  Prov. 3:9, 33.

4. Hail and Lightning

- Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance." Ecclus. 39:35.
- "His lightnings have shone forth to the world; the earth saw and trembled; the heavens
declared His justice;  let them
all be confounded that adore graven things."
 Ps. 96:4. Alphonsus Tostatus says:
"When we hear the thunder, we should
remember that God wishes to admonish us to cease committing sin."

5. Hurtful Animals.

''And I will send in upon you famine and
evil beasts unto utter destruction." Ezech. 5:17. On this point St. Jerome remarks: "It is
manifest that hunger, pestilence, and wild beasts are sent on account of our sins."

- "I will bring seven times more plagues
upon you for your sins; and I will send in upon you the beasts of the field to destroy you and your
cattle, and make you few in number, and that your highways may be desolate." 
Levit.  26:21.

 ''Thou shalt cast much seed in the ground, and gather little: because the locusts shall consume
all."  Deut. 28:38.

Dauraltius says:  "There is no animal so small that it cannot be a most powerful enemy of the
sinner." Flores Exempl. c. 6,
tit. 2, n. 9.

And St. John Chrysostom:  ''So long as
Adam preserved his countenance pure, the animals obeyed him; but when he defiled it by
disobedience, they hated him." -In Ps. 3.

6. Sickness

"I will stretch out My hand to strike thee and thy people with pestilence.'  Exod. 9:15.

"He that sinneth before his Maker,
shall fall into the hands of the physician." 
Ecclus. 38:15.

7. Calamities in General

"And the earth is infected by the in­
habitants thereof,  an few men shall be left."  Is. 24:5.

"Evil doers shall be cut off." Ps. 36:9.

 "He will arm the creature for the
revenge of his enemies."  Wisd. 5:18.

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