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always united to God,
in like manner the damned
can never turn their will to good, and consequently
will always be unhappy, because they are
obstinately and irrevocably opposed to the divine will.
Do the Damned Wish Evil to Others?
Because of this evil will of the damned, the question might be asked: 'Do the
damned wish that all
men be damned?' St. Thomas responds in the affirmative because of the hatred
which the
reprobate bear to all men. But here a difficulty presents itself. As the number
of the damned
increases, the punishment of each individual is aggravated: how, then, can they
desire an increase
of torment for themselves? St. Thomas says that such is their hatred and envy
that they would pre
fer to suffer more cruelly with many others than to suffer less alone. And it
matters little to
them that among those whose loss they desire are some whom they loved dearly
during life. For the
Holy Doctor remarks that all affection which is not based upon love of God
vanishes easily;
otherwise the order of justice and right would be reversed in Hell.
Case of the Rich Man in Hell
If such be the case then how can we explain the solicitude of the poor rich man
in Hell, who
besought Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers on earth, to warn them to do
penance lest they