Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/288

 possible suffering. The understanding  will  see clearly what  great  rewards  it  has  lost;  namely, heaven and  God  1 O God! my God  1 pardon  me for  the  love  of  Jesus. [ Excite your  heart  to  contrition, and  make  a firm  resolution ,]

III. Sinner, you  who  now  are  so  indifferent whether or  not  you  lose  heaven  and  God,  you  will know how  great  has  been  your  blindness  when  you shall see  the  triumph  and  joy  of  the  blessed  in heaven,  and  you  yourself  driven  like  an  unclean creature from  that  blessed  home,  cast  out  from  the presence of  God  and  the  company  of  Mary,  of  the Angels and  Saints  of  God. Then, in  a frenzy  of despair,  you  will  exclaim: O heaven,  O place  of  joy ! O God! O infinite good! thou art  not  for  me,  thou wilt never  more  be  mine! Alas! poor sinner,  do penance  rather  now! amend your  life  at  once. Examine your  conscience  again, and  place  before  you your besetting  sin.]  O yes,  wait  not  till  time  with you shall  be  no  longer! — give yourself  wholly  to God. Begin to  love  him  truly. Pray to  Jesus,  pray to Mary,  that  they  may  have  pity  on  you  [ Make a fervent  act  of  contrition  and  a strong  resolution.]

I. Consider  that  hell  has  no  end. There, all  kinds of suffering  are  found,  and  for  all  eternity. Hundreds and thousands  of  years  will  pass  in  these torments, and  yet  hell  will  be  always  as  if  just beginning. Hundreds o£  thousands,  hundreds  of millions  of  years  and  of  centuries  will  pass  away,  and hell will  be  still  at  its  commencement. If at  this very hour  an  angel  should  carry  the  tidings  to  one  of the  damned,  I hat  God  had  consented  to  free  him