Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/39



I. Every  one  naturally  avoids  what  is  injurious. Now there is  nothing  in  the  world  so  destructive  as  sin;  hence Solomon says,  "  Sin  maketh  nations  miserable  (Prov.  xiv. 34),  "  and  he  that  shall  offend  in  one,  shall  lose  many good things."  (Eccles.  ix.  18.)  Reflect  deeply,  then,  on the  consequences  of  mortal  sin  in  this  life.  1.  It  obscures the  understanding,  and  by  false  reasoning  withdraws  it from  the  truth.  2.  It  alienates  the  will  from  the  supreme and  sovereign  good,  and  attaches  it  to  fictitious  good, creating  at  the  same  time  a  disgust  for  spiritual  things.

3. It  subjects  and  enslaves  reason  to  animal  appetite.

4. It  depraves  all  the  senses. 5. It  deprives  man  of  the friendship and  protection  of  God. 6. It  robs  him  of habitual  grace  and  all  the  ornaments  of  virtue,  and  from a child  of  God  converts  him  into  a  slave  of  the  devil — from an  object  of  delight  into  an  object  of  detestation.

II. In the  next  life,  1. Mortal sin  deprives  man  of  the vision of  God,  and  of  those  joys  "  eye  hath  not  seen  nor ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man to  conceive." (1 Cor.  ii.  9.)  2. It excludes  him  from the blessed  company  of  Saints  and  angels  forever. 3. It introduces  him  into  indescribable  torments,  without  hope of redemption. 4. It  subjects  him  forever  to  the  tyranny of the  devil,  his  most  cruel  enemy,  and  associates  him with the  reprobate  souls.

III. Add to  all  these  considerations  the  reflection  that every sinner  tramples  under  foot  the  precious  blood  of Jesus  Christ,  shed  for  our  transgressions;  converts  the gifts of  God  into  arms  against  Him;  and,  in  as  much  as he  can,  attempts  the  destruction  of  God  Himself,  and saddens the  angels  and  Saints  of  God. Lastly, he  injures