Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/400

 to repentance. Why have  you  thus  sinned  against Him? Why have  you  been  so  ungrateful? What more could  He  do  for  you? Oh, be  ashamed,  and mourn, and  despise  yourself,  because  you  have  sinned against your  Maker  and  your  Redeemer,  Whom  you ought to  love  above  all  things!

Consider the  consequences  of  even  one  mortal  sin. By it  you  lose  the  grace  of  God. You destroy  peace of conscience;  you  forfeit  the  felicity  of  heaven,  for which you  were  created  and  redeemed;  and  you  prepare for  yourself  eternal  punishment. If we  grieve for the  loss  of  temporal  and  earthly  things,  how  much more should  we  grieve  for  having  deliberately  exposed ourselves to  the  loss  of  those  which  are' eternal  and heavenly!

Consider how  great  is  the  love  of  God  for  you,  if, only from  this,  that  He  hath  so  long  waited  for  you and spared  you,  when  He  might  have  so  justly  cast you into  hell. Behold Him  fastened  to  the  cross  for love of  you! Behold Him  pouring  forth  His  precious blood as  a  fountain  to  cleanse  you  from  your  sins! Hear Him  saying,  "I  thirst,"  — "I  thirst  with an  ardent  desire  for  your  salvation!  "  Behold  Him stretching out  His  arms  to  embrace  you,  and  waiting until you  should  come  to  yourself  and  turn  unto  Him, and throw  yourself  before  Him,  and  say,  "Father,  I have  sinned  against  heaven  and  before  Thee,  and  am no  more  worthy  to  be  called  Thy  son." Let these considerations touch  your  heart  with  love  for  Him Who loves  you  so  much,  and  love  will  beget  true  contrition, most  acceptable  to  God.

Say an  Our  Father,  a  Hail  Mary,  and  a  Glory  to obtain  true  contrition. Then add  the  following: