Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/695

 The commandment  to  love  our  neighbour  was  given  in  the  Old  Law, but the  Jews  limited  its  practice  to  those  of  their  own  nation  and  religion; their  brotherly  love  was,  therefore,  by  no  means  universal. But our Lord  has  commanded  us  to  love  all  men,  giving  His  own  love  for us as  a model  for  our  imitation. He showed  love  in  the  most  perfect form, by  laying  down  His  life  for  all  men,  just  and  unjust,  friends  and enemies; and  by  His  death  He  has  won  for  us  grace  to  overcome  selflove  and  to  practise  a supernatural  love  of  our  neighbour.

Heaven. There  is  a heaven,  and  our  Lord  in  the  most  distinct terms promises  the  possession  of  it  to  those  who  love  Him. He promises that where  He  is,  in  the  glory  of  heaven,  there  shall  His  own  be  also. “What the  Almighty  Son  asked  of  the  Almighty  Father  as  His  will (‘I will’) cannot  be  unfulfilled;  for  the  will  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son is one”  (St.  Augustine). The happiness  of  heaven  will  consist  principally in this,  that  we  shall  gaze  for  ever  on  the  glory  of  our  God  and  Saviour.

Hell. He  who  does  not  “abide  in  Jesus”,  that  is,  he  who  is  not united to  Him  by  sanctifying  grace,  but  is  separated  from  Him  by  mortal sin, shall  be  cast  into  the  fire  like  a withered  vine-branch. Our Blessed Lord does  not  say  that  the  dead  branch,  cast  into  the  fire,  “is  burnt”, but “burneth”,  i.  e.  burns  for  ever  without  being  consumed.

Prayer in  the  Name  of  Jesus.  Our  Lord  solemnly  asseverates (“Amen, amen,  I say  unto  you”)  that  we  shall  be  heard  if  we  pray  in His  name. We pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus  when  we  pray  with  full confidence in  His  merits,  and  in  the  mind  and  spirit  of  Jesus. This promise of  our  Lord  ought  to  impel  us  to  pray  to  Almighty  God  with great confidence.

Are you  a living  branch  of  the  vine? Are you in  a state  of  grace? If you  are  in  a state  of  mortal  sin  and have thus  forfeited  sanctifying  grace,  and  if  you  die  in  that  state, you must  go  to  hell. If you  are  so  unhappy  as  to  commit  a mortal  sin,  remain  not  in  a state  of  sin,  but  do  penance,  and  confess your sin  as  soon  as  ever  you  can,  so  that  you  may  become  once more a child  of  God,  and  a living  branch  of  the  vine.

As we  can  do  nothing  without  the  assistance  of  God's  grace, we require  many  graces  every  day  of  our  lives. Now, since  we can  obtain  grace  only  by  prayer,  you  see  how  necessary  prayer is. Pray, therefore,  devoutly  every  day  that  you  may  obtain  grace and be  saved. You must  be  especially  careful  about  your  morning and night  prayers.