Day: October 18, 2024

Thought for the Day – 18 October – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“Preparation for Death”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

CONSIDERATION XVI

Of the Mercy of God
“Mercy rejoiceth against judgement.”
( James ii: 13).

FIRST POINT:
GOODNESS is diffusive in its nature, that is to say, it inclines ever to communicate its goodness to others.
Now, God, Who by nature is Infinite Goodness, has a sovereign desire to communicate His happiness to us and, therefore, it is not His nature to punish but to show mercy to all. As Isaiah says, punishment is opposite to the inclination of Almighty God. “ He shall be wroth …. that He may do His work, His strange work.” (Isa xxviii: 21). And when the Lord
chastises in this life, He chastises so that He may show mercy in the next. “Thou hast also been displeased; O turn Thee unto us again.” (Ps Ix: I). He appears to be angry, so that we may repent and detest our sins.
“Thou hast shown Thy people heavy things; Thou hast given us a drink of deadly wine.” (Ps lx: 3).
And if He sends us any punishment, He sends it because He loves us and that we may be delivered from eternal punishment.
“Thou hast given a token for such as fear Thee that they may triumph because of the truth. Therefore, were Thy beloved delivered.” (Ps Ix: 4, 5).

And how can the mercy be ever admired and praised enough which God shows towards sinners in waiting for them, in calling them and in receiving them when they return?
And, in the first place, oh, how great is the patience which God exercises owards us in waiting for our repentance!
My brother, when thou wast offending God, He could have caused thee to die but He waited for thee and, instead of chastising thee, He conferred His benefits upon thee. He preserved thy life and provided for thee. He feigned not to see thy sins, so that thou might repent. “Thou overlookest the sins of men, for the sake of repentance.” (Wisd xi: 24).

But how is it, Lord, that Thou Who canst not endure the sight of a single sin, yet remainest quiet when Thou beholdest so many?
“Thou beholdest that dishonest one that revengeful one that blasphemer, whose offences increase daily but yet ,Thou punish them not and why so much patience?”
Therefore, will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you.” (Isa xxx: 18).
God waits for the sinner, so that he may amend his ways and thus, He may pardon and save him.

St Thomas observes, all creation – fire, earth, air, water – would punish the sinner by instinct, to avenge the wrongs done to the Creator, for “all creation, in its service to Thee, the Creator, turns against the impious.”

Yet God, in His mercy withholds them. But, Lord, Thou dost wait for these wicked ones that they may repent, yet dost Thou not see they are making use of Thy mercy to offend Thee more?
… And wherefore then so much patience?
Because God willeth not the death of the sinner but that he should be converted and live.
“As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” (Ezek xxxii: 11).
St Augustine goes so far as to say, that if God were not God, “He would be unjust on account of the long-suffering which He shows towards shiners.” To wait for that one who makes use of God’s patience only to become more sinful, would appear unjust to the Divine honour. “We sin,” the Saint goes onto say, “We sin and are attached to it, and some make their peace with sin ; they sleep in sin for months and for years . We rejoice in sin, some even boast of their wickedness and art Thou appeased ?”

It would seem as if we were fighting with God, we were provoking Him to punish us but He inviting us to pardon!

Affections,and Prayers

Ah, my Lord, full well do I know, at this very hour, my place ought to be in hell.
But because of Thy mercy, I am not there but in this place, even at Thy feet and I can hear Thee telling me, that Thou dost wish to be loved by me.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.”

And Thou dost assure me of Thy pardon if only I repent of the offences which I have committed against Thee. Yes, my God, since Thou desirest to be loved even by me, who am a miserable rebel against Thy Majesty, I will love Thee with all my heart and I will repent for having offended Thee, more than any other sin into which I may have fallen.

Ah, enlighten me, O Infinite Goodness and make me to know the wrong I have done Thee.
No, I will no longer resist Thy calls. I will no more displease
the God Who has loved me so much and Who has pardoned
me so many times and with so much love.
Ah, would that I had never offended Thee, O my Jesus ! Pardon me and grant that from this day forward, I may love none other than Thee that I may live for Thee alone, Thou who didst die for me.

Grant that I may suffer for Thy love, since Thou hast suffered so much for mine. Thou hast loved me from eternity; grant that I may burn with Thy love in eternity. I hope for all things because of Thy merits.