Thought for the Day – 17 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)
17th Day – The Eternity of Hell
This is my rest forever and ever.
(Ps cxxxi:14)
+1. The worst aggravation of the sufferings of hell is that, they will never end.
If only they would cease, or be alleviated, after a thousand or a million years, the day of hope would shine on the inmates of that prison-house, even though far away in the dim distance. It is the knowledge that, at the end of countless millions of years, they will still be suffering as they are now which makes the agony of the lost so intolerable.
Forever, never! Forever, never!
+2. Add to this, the frightful monotony of their torments. How wearily the time drags on through a night, sleepless on account of acute pain!
But what will be the monotony of anguish which will make those endless ages drag along in unchanging misery? Nothing to vary the blackness of darkness around them; nothing to vary the worm of remorse ever gnawing at their heart nothing to vary the excruciating agony of the fire which will never be quenched.
+3. All this is the necessary result of their being fixed in an unchanging enmity with God.
If only they could receive in their souls, one spark of the Love of God, hell would at once cease to be hell. One thought of love would turn their agony of despair into joyful hope.
But no such thought will ever come to them.
Make many Acts of Love of God and ask Him that you may never be separated from Him by sin.
AnaStpaul 