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Monday, May 16, 2011

Where will you spend eternity? Repent and hear the good news!

I have a whole library of Catholic books with a large section on the lives of the saints. While we don't hear many warnings these days in church about death and judgment, the saints were relentless in blowing the warning trumpet. Don't fall for the heresy of universal salvation. Jesus isn't the Pillsbury Doughboy. His death was real and indicates how evil and damaging sin is. If we do not repent and live according to the will of God, hell's fire will welcome us. Where will you spend eternity? In the end, it's the only question that really matters. Listen to the saints:


Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church: “As a man lives, so shall he die....It is certain that few are saved."


Saint Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church: “Out of one hundred thousand sinners who continue in sin until death, scarcely one will be saved.”

Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Doctor of the Church: “Saint Teresa, as the Roman Rota attests, never fell into any mortal sin; but still Our Lord showed her the place prepared for her in Hell; not because she deserved Hell, but because, had she not risen from the state of lukewarmness in which she lived, she would in the end have lost the grace of God and been damned.”

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church: “Those who are saved are in the minority.”


Saint Louis Marie de Montfort: “The number of the elect is so small — so small — that, were we to know how small it is, we would faint away with grief: one here and there, scattered up and down the world!”

Saint Anthony Mary Claret: “A multitude of souls fall into the depths of Hell, and it is of the faith that all who die in mortal sin are condemned for ever and ever. According to statistics, approximately 80,000 persons die every day. How many of these will die in mortal sin, and how many will be condemned! For, as their lives have been, so also will be their end.”
 
Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, #153: “One day, I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People walked along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end of the road without realizing it. And at the end of the road there was a horrible precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it; as they walked, so they fell. And their numbers were so great that it was impossible to count them. And I saw the other road, or rather, a path, for it was narrow and strewn with thorns and rocks; and the people who walked along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of suffering befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness, and all these souls entered there. At the very first instant they forgot all their sufferings." 

Blessed Jacinta of Fatima: "So many people are going to die, and almost all of them are going to Hell! So many people falling into hell!”

Lucy of Fatima: "Taking into account the behavior of mankind, only a small part of the human race will be saved.”

But don't be discouraged. God desires heaven for all His children and gives us a prescription for salvation.

Padre Pio of Pietrelcina: "Humility, humility and always humility. Satan fears and trembles before humble souls. The Lord is willing to do great things but on condition that we are truly humble"

Humble souls pray like the publican in the parable who would not even lift his eyes to heaven. We all need to repent and do penance. Every one of us! If you are presuming on God's goodness to save you from a life of unrepented sin, remember that presumption is a sin against the first, and primary commandment.

5 comments:

  1. Superb! Straight, unvarnished teaching! Thank you!

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  2. I don't presume, believe me, but despite my best efforts, my chances for Heaven seem to be slim to none. All these saints who may have said their evening prayers without the proper fervor, were in Purgatory. What awaits me?

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  3. If it depended on our efforts, we'd all be lost. We need to throw ourselves on the mercy of God, "Lord, have mercy on me a sinner." I think I'll spend every moment of my life trying to conform my obstinate will to the will of God. But the church has given us many devotions, some of which carry a promise for the grace of a happy death: devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel shown by wearing the brown scapular, making the nine First Fridays, praying the daily rosary, and particularly devotion to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death. Fr. Hardon used to say only little people get into heaven. Humility and living in childlike dependence on God are keys to heaven's gate. And, as Padre Pio often said, "Pray, hope, and don't worry."

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  4. Fabulous post on a topic that can never be stressed enough! Thanks very much!

    Dominus vobiscum!

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  5. Forgive me, please, but I have just stumbled upon this blog. I haven't read anything like this in decades or, if I have, it was written by a group outside the Church.

    Thank you!

    Veronica

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