Thought for the Day – 10 February – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Meditations on “The Great Truths”
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
10th Day – The Cause of Our Failure
He who shall sin, shall hate his own soul.
(Prov viii:36)
Hitherto, we have been speaking of the means of reaching the End, for which we were created and, in which alone, we shall find true and lasting satisfaction. We now come to the cause of our failure and the obstacles in our way.
+I. There is only one obstacle in our way, only one real hindrance to our progress towards happiness and peace, only one barrier between ourselves and God.
This obstacle is sin.
As long as it remains, it is an insuperable obstacle.
A single mortal sin, unrepented of, will, forever shut me out from the Presence of God.
A single venial sin, unredeemed, will prevent me from attaining to happiness until the debt has been paid!
+2. What do we mean by sin?
We mean any conscious violation of the law of God. Whenever we do that which God has declared to be a serious offence against Him, we become the enemies of God, we forfeit all hope of Heaven, except as far as God, of His gratuitous compassion, may afterwards give us the grace to repent and be forgiven.
Have I ever thus lost sight of God and of Heaven?
And if so, am I sure that I have regained His Love?
+3. Why is sin so terrible
Because it is an outrage to a God of Infinite Holiness, of Infinite Majesty. Because it is an act of ingratitude, to One Who has laden us with benefits, Who Loves us with a Love which surpasses all bound or measure because, it is a deliberate rejection of the Divine Friendship and, as far as we are concerned, forever!
Pray for a hatred and detestation of all sin!.
AnaStpaul 