Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/242

 God’s justice  was  also  manifested  to  the  Israelites  on  account  of  their faithlessness, when  He  allowed  them  to  be  overcome  and  oppressed  by the  pagans. But He  also  showed  mercy  to  them,  for  as  often  as  they acknowledged their  sin  and  turned  to  Him,  He  forgave  them  and delivered them  from  their  oppressors. Even when  they  again  forsook Him, He  did  not  give  them  up,  but  bore  patiently  with  them,  and visited them  with  tribulations,  whereby  they  might  be  once  more  con verted to Him. Indeed, “O  Lord,  Thou  art  a God  of  compassion  and merciful, patient  and  of  much  mercy”  (Ps.  85,  15).

Why God  permits  evil.  God  permitted  some  of  the  heathen  nations to remain  in  Chanaan,  so  that  His  chosen  people  might  be  proved. Thus it  is  that  God  still  suffers  faithless  and  bad  people  to  exist,  both in order  to  give  them  time  for  repentance,  and  to  prove  the  virtuous and faithful,  so  that  their  virtue  and  fidelity  may  be  more  meritorious.

Bad company.  Man,  being  inclined  to  evil,  ought,  as  far  as  is possible,  to  avoid  associating  with  bad  people. Evil communications corrupt good  manners.

The misery  of  sin.  He  who  forsakes  God  will  be  forsaken  by  God. “Sin maketh  nations  miserable”  (Prov.  14,  34),  and  not  only  nations, but  individuals  also. “Many are  the  scourges  of  the  sinner”  (Ps.  31,  10). Just think  what  a scourge  a bad  conscience  is! “There is  no  peace  to the  wicked”  (Is.  48,  32).

The use  of  trials.  In  their  misery  the  Israelites  turned  to  God. God sends  trials  to  sinners  in  order  to  convert  them.

Original sin.  By  these  repeated  falls  of  the  Israelites  we  can  see how corrupt  and  prone  to  evil  the  human  heart  is. This natural  inclination to  evil  is  an  effect  of  original  sin,  and  can  only  be  overcome by the  grace  which  Jesus  Christ  has  obtained  for  us.

The necessity  of  self  denial.  Even  after  we  have  been  cleansed  from original sin  and  made  children  of  God  by  holy  Baptism,  there  still remain the  sinful  inclinations  and  passions. We must  unceasingly  fight against these  by  steadily  denying  ourselves,  or  else  we  shall  be  overcome by them  and  be  made  the  slaves  of  sin. The grace  necessary  for  this holy warfare  is  given  to  us  in  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation.

Mixed marriages.  Holy  Scripture  especially  reproaches  the  Israelites for contracting  marriages  with  unbelievers,  and  for  becoming  thereby indifferent about  their  faith,  and  even  being  led  into  apostasy. Mixed marriages are  always  dangerous  to  faith,  and  they  easily  lead  to  spiritual indifference and  even  to  apostasy. For this  reason  marriages  between Catholics and  those  who  are  not  Christians  are  absolutely  forbidden, and are  null. Even marriages  between  Catholics  and  non -Catholic Christians are  dangerous,  and  are  therefore  forbidden,  being  only allowed by  dispensation  when  security  is  given  against  the  danger  of apostasy,  and  for  the  Catholic  education  of  the  children  of  the  marriage.