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 the Lord! Why should  we  do  this? What is the  foundation  of  our  hope?

3. Hope  and  confidence  in  God  should  be your  protection  and  your  support  throughout your life,  because,  in  the  first  place,  God  is almighty,  He  is  infinitely  merciful,  faithful,  and true; therefore  He  can  and  will  fulfil  the  promises He has  made  to  us. It is  certain  that  He  is able  to  fulfil  His  promises. For how  could  God be almighty  if  He  were  not  able  to  do  all  things, if He  could  not  pardon  us,  grant  us  graces,  and receive us  into  heaven? Certainly God  has  only to will,  and  His  grace  penetrates  our  hearts,  filling them  with  sincere  penitence,  washing  away our sins,  abolishing  our  debt. God wills  indeed our sanctification,  our  salvation,  and  our  happiness, for  He  is  infinitely  good. He truly  loves all men,  and  desires  to  have  them  all  with  Himself in  heaven. In the  most  touching  manner has He  made. this clear  and  plain,  since  He delivered  up  His  only  begotten  Son  to  suffer  a most  agonizing  death. The words  of  St.  John will be  true  for  evermore :  "  God  so  loved  the world  as  to  give  His  only  begotten  Son:  that whosoever  believeth  in  Him  may  not  perish,  but may  have  life  everlasting" (John  iii.  16).

4. Trust  in  the  Lord,  for  He  sealed  His promises with  the  blood  of  His  own  Son. Of ourselves we  could  indeed  not  deserve  eternal happiness, nor  the  graces  needed  for  its  attaintments,  nor  could  we  ever  merit  them. But what we could  of  ourselves  not  merit,  Jesus  Christ  has merited for  us,  by  means  of  His  bitter  passion and death. On this  account  we  have,  as  the Apostle says:  "Such  confidence  through  Christ toward  God."

For the  same  reason  Sr.  Ambrose  writes,  in