If as a careful examiner I were to pay attention to my sinful negligences and my simplicity or ignorance, perhaps I would scarcely dare urge something good to simple people in parishes, because of that Scriptural writing which says: ‘First cast out the beam from thy own eye. . .’ and ‘he who teaches another does not teach himself.’² Although these words terrify me exceedingly, something still greater was said: ‘Thou wicked servant, why didst thou not entrust my money with the money-changers in a bank, so that I on my return might have gotten it with interest?’³ When I...

I beg and exhort with great humility that whoever receives this little book in his hands should both read it frequently himself and instil it into others, as well as giving it to them to read and transcribe. Thus a man may receive a double reward from the Lord as a result of his own progress and that of others. I mention this fact, because many people, and perhaps pious ones, want to keep their numerous books shining and beautifully bound; they keep them locked up in chests, so that they may not read them themselves or give them to...

Whoever wants to be saved, brethren, above all must know and adhere to the Catholic faith. If anyone does not keep it whole and intact, doubtless he will perish forever. Moreover, this is the Catholic faith which we preach and believe. We adore one God in the Trinity, and the Trinity in unity. There is no confusion of persons nor a separation of substance, which is one in the Trinity. For the person of the Father is one, that of the Son another, and that of the Holy Spirit still another. However, the divine nature of the Father, Son, and...

(1) Among the other beatitudes which our Lord and Saviour deigned to mention in the Gospel He added this one, saying: ‘Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.’¹ Blessed are those to whom God has been pleased to grant this remarkable hunger and desirable thirst. But how does one hunger after justice, brethren? We hunger after justice if we are willing to hear the word of God with patience and love, for of such food it has been said: ‘They that eat me yet hunger: and they that drink me yet thirst.’² For,...

(1) As often as it is necessary for both your and my salvation that 1 preach some hard and harsh truths, dearly beloved, you ought to consider my danger and accept it with calmness and patience. Harsh preaching provides remedies for souls that are sick, and arranges adornments for the healthy. What the Holy Spirit threatens the Lord’s priests through the Prophet is not a slight matter. ‘If thou declare not to the wicked his iniquity,’ He says, ‘I will require his blood at thy hand,’¹ and again: ‘cry, cease not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show...

(1) We thank God, dearly beloved, that in the midst of so many occupations He has deigned to bring us before your holy charity. Divine Mercy knows that even if we could come before you twice or three times each year we still could not satisfy our longing. What father is there who does not desire to see his children frequently, especially if they are good and faithful? May God grant to your prayers both that you may be able to find some good in us whom you have received with such charity, and that we may always see in...

(1) Through the goodness of Christ, dearly beloved, may you so receive the sacred text with an eager and thirsting heart that you may give us spiritual joy as the result of your faithful obedience. If you want the sacred writings to become sweet to you and the divine precepts to profit you as they should, withdraw from worldly occupations for several hours to reread the divine words in your homes and to dedicate yourselves entirely to God's mercy. Then will happily be fulfilled in you what is written concerning the blessed, that ‘On the law of the Lord he...

(1) I beseech you, beloved brethren, be eager to engage in divine reading whatever hours you can. Moreover, since what a man procures in this life by reading or good works will be the food of his soul forever, let no one try to excuse himself by saying he has not learned letters at all. If those who are illiterate love God in truth, they look for learned people who can read the sacred Scriptures to them. This we have learned even illiterate merchants do, for they hire literate mercenaries and through their reading or writing acquire great profits. Now,...

The faith and life of a Christian, dearly beloved, is the expression and obligation of the whole Creed. It is faith at present, life in the future; faith on the road, life in our fatherland; faith in hope, life in reality; faith in the battle, life in the kingdom; faith in action, life in recompense. Thus, if a man has faith with good works in this world, he will receive eternal life in the one to come. For this reason, at the beginning of the Creed we find: ‘I believe in God,’ and afterwards, at the end: ‘eternal life.’ Therefore,...

(1) I beg and exhort you, dearly beloved, if anyone wants to be saved, let him learn the true Catholic faith, firmly adhere to it, and preserve it inviolate. Therefore, each one should see to it that he believes in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God; and yet not three gods, but only one. As is the Father, so is the Son and so is the Holy Spirit. However, everyone of the faithful should believe that the Son is equal to the Father in divinity...

(1) This idea affects many people, dearly beloved; such a thought sends many men of little learning into anxiety. For people say: Why did our Lord Jesus Christ, the power and wisdom of the Father, effect the salvation of man, not by His divine power and sale might, but by physical humiliation and human struggle? Surely, He could have overthrown the Devil and freed man from that tyranny by His heavenly power and majesty? It disturbs some people why God did not destroy death hy His word, since He is taught to have given life in the beginning with a...

(1) In all the divine lessons, dearly beloved, faith is lauded with many praises; in fact, not only sacred Scripture but also the entire human race ceaselessly extols it. Would that it were praised by the lives of men as it is praised with the tongue! As it is preached with the mouth, so may it be observed wholeheartedly; as it is uttered with the lips, so may it be fulfilled in deed. So great is the virtue of faith that even those who refuse to keep it still presume to praise it. Truly deservedly is faith extolled, for without...

(1) I beg you, dearly beloved, to consider more carefully why we are Christians and bear the cross of Christ on our forehead. We ought to know that it is not enough for us that we have received the name of Christian, if we do not perform the works of a Christian. As the Lord Himself said in the Gospel: ‘What does it profit you to call me, “Lord, Lord,” when you do not practise the things that I say?’¹ If you say a thousand times that you are a Christian and continually sign yourself with the cross of Christ...

(1) Your faith and devotion have given us great joy, dearly beloved. The more attentively we see you come to church, the more joyfully we exult and give thanks to God because He deigns to take possession of your heart in such a way that we derive great joy from your manner of living. I beseech you to observe in your hearts what you show in the body. You know, brethren, that all men have the habit of wanting to show off their new clothes, if possible, or at least bright ones, when they come to church on the holy...

(1) There are many people, dearly beloved, who think that this alone is sufficient for eternal life, that they do no evil. Therefore, all who, perchance, deceive themselves with this false assurance should clearly understand that the mere avoidance of evil is not enough for any Christian unless he does as much good as he can. He who said ‘Turn away from evil,’ also said ‘and do good.’¹ The Gospel gives us the same advice in terrible words: ‘Every tree that is not bringing forth good fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire.’² It does not...

(1) We rejoice, dearly beloved, and give thanks to God, because in accordance with our desires we have deserved to find you safe and sound. Truly, brethren, a father justly and rightly rejoices whenever he finds his sons in bodily health and devout fear of God. Moreover, because the divine pity has now given us a twofold joy in your and our well-being, it is our duty to suggest to your charity whatever pertains to the progress of your souls. It is imperative, dearly beloved, to desire with the mind’s whole effort to seek or realize why we are Christians,...

(1) We bless our God, dearly beloved, and render abundant thanks to Him because in accordance with our desires we have merited to find you safe and sound. Indeed, He is a kind Lord who knows the secrets of the heart and realizes that we experience no greater joy in this world than when we know that both in heart and in body you are healthy and perfect in the fear and love of Christ. Thus, to be sure, the Apostle spoke: ‘This is our joy and our crown, if you stand fast in the Lord.’¹ Moreover, because we ought...

(1) While we admonish you rather frequently concerning good works, we know that some of us are disinclined to justice and almsgiving, but are disposed to dissipation or avarice. We almost suspect that such people do not have any fear of a future judgment. Truly, brethren, when we see careless, tepid Christians neither avoiding sin nor providing eternal rewards for themselves by good works, what remains but to suppose that they do not believe rewards will be repaid to the good and punishments meted out to the wicked by the just judgment of God? Indeed, brethren, we realize that a...

(1) Dearly beloved, I bless God who has deigned to give me this opportunity of deserving to see your charity. For a long time I had been yearning to meet you, but the various needs of the times did not allow the fulfillment of my desire until now. With God’s help I rejoice at the sight of you, especially because I have merited to find you safe and sound. For this reason we suggest what I must say and you should willingly hear concerning the salvation of your soul, so that you may always realize that you are Christians and...

(1) I exhort you, my children, and I admonish you with paternal devotion to think more carefully of the salvation of your soul, fearing what is written: ‘The burdens of the world have made them miserable.’¹ Let us get rid of everything contrary, I beseech you, before the scourge is changed into a sword. Let the king enter his bedroom, that is, let Christ enter your heart. Let the bridegroom have an open approach to his bride; that is, let Christ have one to your souls. Let us receive Him into the bedroom of our heart, so that He may...

(1) We are admonished in both the Old and the New Testament, dearly beloved, how we should observe perfect charity. Our Lord Himself said in the Gospel: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’¹ For this reason let us discourse for a little while on the love of one man for another, since the affections of men are perverse. If a man loves himself perversely, he also loves his neighbor perversely; if he loves himself correctly, he also loves another correctly. There are, indeed, shameful, abominable loves; for example, the affections of adulterers, seducers, or the impure. All laws, both...

(1) If we could present ourselves more frequently to your charity, dearly beloved, with Christ’s help we could infuse into your pious souls, if not abundant rivulets, at least tiny drops from the copious fountains of sacred Scripture. Thus, the fertile and fruitful soil of your heart might receive the rain of the word of God, and so produce a rich harvest of good works. Then, at His coming, the Lord would rejoice to find in the field of your heart not only thirty–, but even sixty-fold fruits, and one hundred-fold, and with these fruits He might prepare a...

(1) This fact, especially, makes us mention so frequently the value of true charity, dearly beloved, the fact that it is the special and peculiar command of the Lord Himself. Truly, nothing sweeter can be imagined, and with God’s help nothing easier or more fruitful can be done. This is true in our soul if the will does not introduce something evil, for then iniquity does not know where to find a place; moreover, if ‘Covetousness is the root of all evils’¹ does not apply there, charity, the root of all virtues, cannot be lacking. The first and eminent reason...

(1) We can learn clearly how we should love each other, dearly beloved, from the health and sickness of our bodily members. If we are willing to love each other as the members of our body love each other, perfect charity can be preserved in us. Consider and see what happens physically in us: how all the members rejoice when the head is well, and all the other members are pleased with each one individually. Conversely, if one member suffers some injury, all the members suffer with it. Behold, the foot has a thorn. Now, what is farther from the...

(1) When the Gospel was read just now, we heard our Lord and Saviour say: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.’¹ Sweet is the word mercy, dearly beloved; and if the mere name, how much more so the reality? Although all men desire to possess it, what is worse, not all live in such a way as to deserve it, for all want to receive it but few are willing to grant it. O man, with what feelings do you want to find what you neglect to give? If a man desires to obtain mercy in heaven,...

(1) When the Gospel was read, dearly beloved, among the rest of the beatitudes which divine goodness grants to men, or, rather, to good men, we heard the Lord preach the rewards of mercy. Thus He spoke: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’;¹ in another place: ‘judgment is without mercy to him who has not shown mercy”;² and again we read: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’³ The Psalmist likewise asserts: ‘Acceptable is the man that sheweth mercy and lendeth. The just shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not fear the evil hearing.’⁴ Surely, dearly beloved,...

(1) We have proposed to us in a certain book,¹ dearly beloved, a parable of the elm and the vine. Anyone who reads it carefully will find in it much edification for his soul. For the elm tree and the vine appear sufficiently complementary to each other. Indeed, although the elm tree is pleasing and stands aloft, it is shown to bear no fruit, but the vine, small and lowly, admittedly is full of fruit; however, unless this fruit is lifted on high by some tree, it withers and dies on the earth. Now, if the elm extends its branches...

(1) I beseech you, brethren, to consider more carefully mercy toward the poor, and to do good works while there is still time for mercy, since the time of judgment is going to come. Could our Lord God deceive us on the subject of judgment day if He has deceived us in no other matter? Notice carefully, my brethren, and see that all the things promised to us in sacred Scripture have now almost been fulfilled. God promised there that His Son would come in the flesh, and it has happened. He promised that He would suffer, that He would...

(1) From my own sentiments, dearly beloved, I know how much your charity longs for us. Although you would like to see my poor self all the time, I would wish your and my desires to be satisfied by the sight of you even more frequently if possible. However, we ought to endure with patience what we cannot remedy in view of the necessity of circumstances. Still, even if for many reasons we cannot see each other bodily, we are always united in charity and holy affection. For this reason, physical separation can do no harm if there is a...

(1) The kind and merciful Lord, dearly beloved, deigns to provide occasions and opportunities in many ways, whereby we can redeem our sins without great labor and difficulty Since He sees men without the strength to fast for their sins or unable to abstain from meat or wine, the poverty of the poor gives the wealthy an opportunity to sell their earthly goods and distribute them to the poor. This secures abundant fruits, for by generously bestowing their superfluities upon poor men they obtain the remission of their sins. What can be so good and delightful, so easy and ready...

(1) I have warned your charity, dearly beloved, and have presumed to give you advice on almsgiving. Although by God’s inspiration our admonition has been profitable to many, I fear that there are some who give less than they can or perhaps nothing at all. Someone may say: I am poor, therefore I cannot give alms. In order that no poor person might be able to excuse himself, our Lord and Saviour promised to reward a cup of cold water. Then you say: I am poor. If you have nothing more in your earthly substance than what is sufficient for...

(1) I beseech you, brethren, carefully reflect so that you may dread as much as you can and be on your guard lest the cruel Enemy of the human race overtake you, as he commonly deceives the careless and negligent with his wicked cunning. He instils such a foolish security in murderers, robbers, and adulterers that although they commit sins every day they believe that they redeem them by daily almsgiving. They suppose that God accepts a bribe after the custom of corrupt judges and forgives their sin. To be sure, He accepts the gift and is pleased with the...

(1) Through Christ’s goodness, dearly beloved, the days are almost here when we should gather the harvest. With thanksgiving to God who has given, let us consider the question of offering or, rather, paying tithes. Our God who has deigned to give us all condescends to ask of us in return tithes which doubtless will benefit us, not Himself. Thus He has promised through the Prophet, saying: ‘Bring all the tithes into my storehouse that there may be meat in my house: and try me in this, saith the Lord, if I open not unto you the flood-gates of heaven,...

(1) As we read the Prophets, dearly beloved, we find the Lord advising us always to love and honor our parents, and if it happens that they are distressed by poverty, we should relieve their necessities as far as we can. Truly we read: ‘If thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not the members of thy own seed.’¹ Here the members of our seed are to be understood as our parents. Now, someone may say: Who would hate his parents, that the Lord through His Prophet warns us as concerning a great matter? Doubtless, the Holy Spirit...

(1) As often as we celebrate any sacred feasts, dearly beloved, and prepare to receive Holy Communion, you know with what disposition we should come. Before we come, you are well aware of what we should first say to God in prayer: ‘Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.’¹ See to it that you grant forgiveness, for you will come to those words in the prayer. How are you going to say them? Or will you, perhaps, not do so? Finally, I ask: Are you saying them or not? You hate your brother and say: ‘Forgive us...

(1) In the sacred books, dearly beloved, the Holy Spirit has so arranged it that spiritual ornaments are not able to be lacking for the healthy, and remedies for the sick. Recognizing this fact, under the Lord’s inspiration I have endeavored to provide for you the unique and special remedy of souls as a spiritual antidote. For this reason I gathered a few flowers as well as I could from the delightful branches of sacred Scripture, to provide remedies for the sick, as I said, and to provide very precious pearls from the heavenly treasury to heal the wounds of...

(1) I know and believe that your charity wisely understands that it is not without reason that I admonish you so often concerning the true and perfect charity. I do this because I realize that there is no medicine so salutary and efficacious for the wounds of all sins. Added to this is the fact that, although the remedy of true and perfect charity is so great, no one is found who could not possess it with God’s help. In other good works one sometimes may offer an excuse of one sort or another, but in possessing love no one...

(1) Frequently in the Gospel, dearly beloved, we have heard the Lord say: ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.’¹ Why did the Lord say: ‘Love your enemies,’ except because we would have to suffer them? Someone says: Who can love his enemies? Formerly, your God who never was wicked loved you when you were; even if you are not wicked now, you were at some time or other. There is no just man but was a sinner, as we frequently chant: ‘Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.’² We do not say: Blessed are they who...

(1) Knowing that the human race with its weaknesses cannot pass through this present life without sin, the good and merciful Lord deigned to provide such remedies as not only the rich, but also the poor, can apply to the wounds of their sins. What are these remedies? They are two, concerning which the Lord said: ‘Give, and it shall be given to you; forgive, and you shall be forgiven.’¹ ‘Give, and it shall be given to you’ refers to the alms which are given to the hungry, the naked, and captives. ‘Forgive, and you shall be forgiven’ indicates the...

(1) The judgments of God are often hidden, dearly beloved, but they are never unjust. Since we read that some sinners were punished in the present life by holy men, we ought to see with simple, pure faith why this was done. Examples show to all the fact that in the Old Testament sin was punished corporally as often as suitable punishments were imposed. However, no one did this because of his own wrath, but leaders or judges punished most justly to inspire fear in the rest of the people. In truth, blessed Moses, of whom we read that ‘He...

(1) Let no one say, dearly beloved, that the contests of the martyrs are impossible in our day, for even times of peace have their martyrs. As we have frequently mentioned, to soften one’s anger, to avoid lust, to exercise justice, to despise avarice, to humble pride, are all a large part of martyrdom. Not unfittingly do we include scorn of avarice, the softening of wrath, and the avoidance of lust. Avarice should be despised because it procures unjust gains for us in order to win us, for we would be our own masters if we had no such profits....

(1) I beseech you, brethren, that we more carefully heed the cause of our salvation. In order that we may be able to escape all the evils which we read about the future judgment and may merit happily to reach that bliss which was promised, let us with God’s help endeavor to apply the whole attention of our minds, as far as we can, to observe charity, justice, mercy, and chastity. Thus we will be carried to the royal land of paradise as if in a heavenly, spiritual chariot. Meanwhile, let us go there in spirit, so that when the...

(1) When we commend the good of chastity as something fitting and proper, dearly beloved, perhaps some young men who are still of vigorous age are saying: We are young, we cannot restrain ourselves. We can and should reply to these people that perhaps they are unable to observe chastity because they eat more than is proper and take more wine than they should, are unwilling to avoid familiarity with women, and neither fear nor blush to keep suspicious company. Men of this kind should listen to the Apostle when he says: ‘Flee immorality,’¹ and: ‘do not be drunk with...

(1) You give me great joy, dearly beloved, when you come to church with such devout faith on the feasts of the martyrs. However, if with God’s help you want to perfect spiritually your progress and our joy, under God’s inspiration observe such peace and charity among yourselves that you harbor hatred for no one in your hearts. Pray for the good, that they may always become better; continually plead for the wicked, that they may be quickly corrected. Moreover, in accord with the Lord’s teaching: ‘All things whatever you would that men should do to you, even so do...

(1) We read in sacred Scripture, dearly beloved, that holy counsel should keep those who are solicitous for their soul’s salvation, as the divine Word puts it: ‘Holy counsel shall keep thee.’¹ If holy counsel keeps a soul, that which is unholy not only fails to keep it but even kills it. Perhaps someone says: Who can always be thinking of God and eternal bliss, since all men must be solicitous for food, clothing, and the management of their household? God does not bid us be free from all anxiety over the present life, for he instructs us through His...

(1) Through the goodness of Christ, dearly beloved, I believe that you dread the vice of drunkenness as a pit of hell, and are unwilling not only to drink to excess yourselves, but also to encourage or compel others to do so. Nevertheless, it can happen that some careless souls may be unwilling to remain sober. You, then, who always give temperate banquets, do not recall to your injury the fact that we must also reprove those other men who are drunkards. Indeed, dearly beloved, although the vice of drunkenness is serious and exceedingly hateful to God, it has spread...

(1) With paternal devotion, dearly beloved, I have frequently reminded your charity that you should avoid and flee from the evil of drunkenness as a pit of hell. Although our reproof helped many, there are still quite a few men who neither fear God nor respect those who are honorable and sober. These people drink so much that they must by vomiting relieve their stomach, which is overloaded with excessive drink. Like ships that are shattered and wrecked, they are harassed by dreadful waves of drunkenness, so that they neither know where they are nor can say or hear anything...

(1) In sacred Scripture, dearly beloved, the poor are unceasingly blessed, while sinners seem worthy of reproach. Therefore, first of all, as you realize from your frequent reading and chanting, I will suggest to your charity a few sentences in which the Scriptures bless the poor; then I will mention what we read concerning sinners. Of the poor it is said: ‘This poor man cried and the Lord heard him.’¹ And again: ‘Blessing I will bless her widow: I will satisfy her poor with bread.’² Again: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’³ Again:...

(1) In sacred Scripture, dearly beloved, widows, orphans, and the poor are frequently mentioned with benediction, as we read in the psalms: ‘Blessing I will bless her widow, and I will satisfy her poor with bread’; furthermore: ‘He will support the fatherless and the widow’ and ‘this poor man cried and the Lord heard him.’¹ When you hear all this, understand it as concerning the entire Catholic Church, and concerning all in the holy Church who are good, humble, merciful, just, modest, chaste, and sober. Although God takes care of widows, orphans, and the poor, and willingly hears them if...

(1) You know, dearly beloved, that all men seek bodily health, but this we should acknowledge, that, although health of body is good, health of the heart is much better. Consequently, all Christians should always pray especially that God will deign to grant them health of soul because of their devout life. We should pray for bodily health, but doubly and many more times for health of soul. Not too much harm is done if the flesh is weak in this life; it is of utmost importance that the soul rise unstained to heaven. Indeed, the person who feels anxiety...

(1) Some men and women, dearly beloved, when they see that they have no children in their married life, often become too sad. To make matters worse, they often are prevailed upon to believe that they can have children like the sap of trees, not from God but from some kind of impious drug. If anyone, deceived by a friend of the Devil, has done this, he should do penance with great compunction of heart; whoever with the Lord’s help has not done so should see to it that he never does. Not only should a man refrain from it...

(1) I repeat again as I have freqently admonished you, dearly beloved, that no one of you should think that martyrs cannot live in our times. Martyr is a Greek word, which in Latin means a witness. As we have often said, anyone who bears witness to Christ for the sake of justice is without doubt a martyr. Likewise, anyone who resists the champions of dissipation and persecutors of chastity out of love for God will receive the crown of martyrdom. Therefore, there are martyrs even in our day. If a man reproves evil-doers with justice and charity, or warns...

(1) It is a source of pleasure to us, dearly beloved, to see you faithfully coming to church, and for this we give the greatest thanks to God. Truly, this is becoming and proper for Christians, to hasten like good sons to their mother the Church with the greatest longing and true piety. But, although we rejoice at this, dearly beloved, to see you hasten faithfully to church, we are sad and we grieve because we know that some of you rather frequently go over to the ancient worship of idols like the pagans who have no God or grace...

(1) You well know, dearly beloved, that I have frequently exhorted you with paternal solicitude, advising and proclaiming that you should by no means observe those wicked practices of the pagans. However, as I hear reported of many, our admonition has not profited some individuals. If I do not speak about it I will have to render an evil account on judgment day for both of us, and I, together with you, will have to endure eternal punishments. Therefore, I acquit myself before God if I admonish you repeatedly and assert that none of you should consult sorcerers, seers, or...

(1) It is a source of great joy to me, dearly beloved, and I thank God that you come to church with pious devotion on the holy feasts. Although we rejoice at your devotion through God’s goodness, there are many more whose ruin causes us sorrow. I am speaking of those who desire to quarrel rather than to pray when they come to church. When they ought to be receiving the divine lessons in church with attentive ears and entire devotion, they strive to plead cases outside and to assail one another with different tricks. Sometimes, what is worse, they...

(1) It is a source of great joy to me, dearly beloved, and I thank God that you come to church with pious devotion on the holy feasts. Although we rejoice at your devotion through God’s goodness, there are many more whose ruin causes us sorrow. I am speaking of those who desire to quarrel and revel, to get angry and plead cases, rather than to pray when they come to church. And all this happens at a time when they ought to be receiving the divine lessons in church with attentive ears and entire devotion and piety.... Sometimes even,...

(1) I exhort you as I have frequently done, dearly beloved, to endeavor always to think of the day of our death and the terrible, dreadful judgment. No more useful remedy for the wounds of all sins can be found than for each one to think of the hour when he will leave this world. How can a person dare to commit serious sin if at every moment he thinks he might be departing from this life? Thus, Scripture says: ‘Remember, son, that death is not slow,’ and ‘remember thy last things, and let enmity cease.’¹ If a man carefully...

(1) I beseech you, dearly beloved, and I exhort you with great humility that no one of you get angry at me or think that I am unreasonable or foolish when I frequently and purposely strive to impress upon you the fearful and dreadful day of judgment. If anyone is displeased by this he should consider my danger and hear the Lord threaten priests in the terrible words of the Prophet: ‘If thou declare not to the wicked his iniquity, I will require his blood at thy hand.’¹ In another place He says: ‘Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice...

(1) When the divine lesson was read just now, dearest brethren, we heard the blessed Apostle admonish us in dreadful yet salutary words when he said: ‘All of us must be made manifest before the tribunal of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has won through the body, according to his works, whether good or evil.’¹ This the Lord also announced in the Gospel, saying: ‘The Son of Man is to come with his angels in glory; and then he will render to everyone according to his works.’² I beg you to notice carefully, dearly beloved, and...

(1) In all the sacred writings, dearly beloved, we are told in a useful and salutary manner that we should continually and humbly confess our sins both to God and to His holy, God-fearing servants. Thus the Holy Spirit advises us through the Apostle James, saying: ‘Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be saved.’¹ The Psalmist, too, exclaims: ‘Give praise to the Lord, for he is good,’ and ‘I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord, and thou hast forgiven the wickedness of my heart.’² Just as we...

(1) Many of our brothers and sons are anxiously concerned whether a man who repents in sickness and immediately dies can obtain complete forgiveness. Not only are there inquiries on the subject, but even contentions marked with considerable animosity. Some say that one who repents thus is forgiven entirely, while others say it does no good. I would like to suggest briefly to your charity what seems to be the fact of the matter according to the teaching of the holy Fathers. It can be fittingly believed that this sudden repentance is achieved in three ways. The first and foremost...

(1) I beseech you, dearly beloved, patiently and even willingly accept my fatherly words as you usually do. Through God’s goodness you know that since it is not for some earthly gain but out of perfect love for you I must say and you must hear this, I will strive to advise you with great humility and fear. Moreover, dearly beloved, since not only slight sins but even greater offenses try to overtake us day and night, let us not reserve ourselves for a repentance which is accepted at the end of life, but as long as we live let...

We often notice, dearly beloved, that some of you turn away from communion with the Church. I realize that this happens because of a consciousness of serious and great sins. Therefore I advise you, dearly beloved, that this is a wicked and doubly unwholesome idea, because men who do this both heap up a burden of sins and lose the reward of eternal salvation. This means both to add to one’s guilt and to avoid the remedy. For this reason I beg you, beloved brethren, and I urge you, if anyone of you, conscious of his sins, considers himself unworthy...

(1) Fearing God myself, I appeal to your fear of Him in His sight, brethren. One who does not fear God, but despises me because I do, acts to his own harm. Therefore, listen to what I am going to say. I am certain that if a baptized person lives without any grave sin (I do not dare to say without sin, for who is without sin?), but if he does live without any grave sin, and has only sins which may daily be forgiven by the prayer: ‘Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors’;¹ if he...

(1) Beloved brethren, whenever someone happens to fall into some serious sin or fault, as human weakness does, he should neither despair because God is just nor be presumptuous because He is merciful. He should fear His justice in order to obtain mercy, and he should have confidence in His mercy in such a way that he dreads His justice. The longer God has to wait for our amendment, the more severely He punishes us if we think about turning to Him too late. A poultice or clamp is best applied to wounds when they are still fresh, for health...

(1) Dearly beloved, I plead with any of you who may have been overcome by the Devil’s cunning and who through human weakness may have become involved in capital crimes. If anyone, in the words of the Apostle, has destroyed God’s temple within him by violating himself, let him not despair of God’s mercy. Let him arise at once from his iniquity, lest he bury himself in the ruins of habitual sin. Truly, not the sinner but he who perseveres in sin is hateful and an abomination to the Lord. So that no one may lack confidence in the divine...

(1) I have frequently exhorted you, beloved brethren, and I do so again and again, that if anyone knows he has been tossed by the storm of passion on the sea of wickedness away from the shore of self-control and has incurred the shipwreck of his purity, he should swiftly take hold of the confession of his sins as the plank of a shattered ship. By this means he can escape the deep abyss of wickedness and reach the harbor of repentance, where he can fasten his anchor of hope in a safer place and restore his lost salvation. Each...

(1) Whenever we see some of our brothers or sisters performing public penance, by God’s inspiration, dearly beloved, we can and should stir up great compunction in our hearts. Who would not rejoice and be glad, giving thanks to God to the best of his ability, when he sees a sinner angry over his sins and proclaiming this in a loud voice? Indeed, what he formerly defended with the greatest insolence he now begins to blame in a salutary manner. He has now begun to be united with God, because he no longer wants to defend his sins, but to...

(1) If any of you do penance with compunction and devotion, brethren, I ask you not to take offense, because our sermon today is addressed to penitents who are careless. You who are called penitents in name but not in intention, in title but not in deeds, should listen. I fear that you are ashamed even to be called by the name of penitents, for you think this does you an injury rather than bring a cure. Tell me, I beseech you, how do you claim to do penance when you daily do things which demand repentance? How do you...

(1) In all the sacred Scriptures, dearly beloved, the times of the Christians were foretold. This, too, came to pass, that kings of the earth who persecuted the Christians because of idols destroyed the idols later for the sake of Christ. Then all power was subject to the yoke of Christ, so that what was written might be fulfilled: ‘I have destroyed them.’¹ What does this mean, ‘I have destroyed them’? I have avenged myself on them. Christ’s Body says: I have avenged myself on my enemies. How has He avenged Himself? By killing error in them and reviving their...

(1) As often as adversities come, dearly beloved, or when by God’s just judgment hostility or dryness or death is imposed, we should attribute this to our sins rather than to God’s injustice. In the words of the Apostle: ‘God who inflicts punishment is not unjust.’¹ The world is indeed harassed by the evil lives and statements of many men. This attack upon the good and the bad is just like when mud and an ointment are blown on the same wind; the one exhales a foul odor, while the other has a sweet fragrance. In order that everyone may...

(1) I think that no one among you is so foolish, dearly beloved, that he cannot see that the great evils of our day, the great miseries with which we are constantly worn out and afflicted, are the just deserts of our sins. That is the reason for almost everything that happens or afflicts us in this world. However, let us in accord with the advice of the Prophet turn aside from evil and do good; let us seek after peace and pursue it. The more we realize that that day is approaching which is described by the blessed Apostle...

(1) Although in many respects, dearly beloved, through God’s goodness your life makes us happy and we frequently rejoice at your progress, there is some advice which your hearts should hear. For this reason I beg you to accept our advice gladly, as is your custom. Again I rejoice, dearly beloved, and thank God because I see you devoutly hurry to church to hear the divine lessons. However, if you want to improve your progress and complete our joy, you ought to assemble sooner. If his infirmities do not hold a man down in prolonged nights, not without guilt of...

(1) I beg and exhort you with paternal devotion, dearly beloved, that as often as Mass is celebrated, either on Sunday or other important holydays, no one should leave church until the divine mystery is completed. Although there are many people whose faith and piety give us reason to rejoice, there are still more who think less about the salvation of their souls. These latter leave church as soon as the divine lessons have been read; in fact, while the lessons are being read, some of them are so busy with idle and worldly gossip that they neither hear it...

(1) If you were willing to find out and carefully hear what grief and bitterness there is in my soul when I see you unwilling to stay for the entire Mass, dearly beloved, you might have pity on both yourselves and me. Surely, those who understand what is taking place in church when the divine mystery is being celebrated realize the evil they do who without great necessity depart from church when the Mass is not yet finished. Therefore, if you want to free me from tribulation of soul and to absolve yourselves from sin, do not despise my plea....

(1) I cannot express in words the joy the Lord has granted me because of your holy and faithful devotion. For many years my mind had yearned for this, and I had longed with all the intensity of my heart for the good Lord to inspire you with this practice of chanting the psalms. Therefore, I bless God and thank Him as well as I can because He has deigned to fulfill my desire. Indeed, although I had wanted you to chant the psalms as they did in neighboring cities, God inspired your minds to do it even better, with...

(1) I beg and admonish you with fatherly devotion, dearly beloved, that as often as prayer is said anyone who cannot genuflect because of some infirmity should at least not hesitate to bend his back or bow his head. What good does it do you to sing the psalms well if, when you stop singing, you refuse to get down on your knees before God? Let each one who has ceased chanting pray and entreat God with all humility, so that what he utters With the lips he may deserve with God’s help to fulfill in deed. As singing the...

(1) I exhort and admonish you, dearly beloved, that whenever the priest prays at the altar or when the deacon intones the prayer in a loud voice, you devoutly bow your bodies as well as your hearts. I have carefully noted that when the deacon says the usual flectamus genua, most of the people frequently remain standing like straight columns. This is not at all proper or right for Christians who are praying in church, because the deacon does not pray for us but for you. Since those words are addressed to you in particular and most of all...

(1) A few days ago I gave you some advice with paternal anxiety and devotion, because of those whose feet hurt them or those who suffer some physical ailment. In a way I asked that, when their sufferings are prolonged or, at least, when somewhat long lessons are read, those who cannot stand should sit down in humility and silence, and listen attentively to what is read. Now, however, some of our daughters think that all—or, surely, most of them—even those who are physically strong, should often do so. Indeed, when the word of God has begun to...

(1) When Mass was being celebrated last Sunday, dearly beloved, that raving demoniac caused considerable fear among the people. It is certain, brethren, that scarcely anyone will be found who does not shudder and tremble with fear at sight of an unfortunate man thus tormented by the Devil. However, it would be incumbent upon piety and perfect charity to fear less and pray more for such a person. If you wish, beloved brethren, with God’s help we can show you when you can be free from fear of a demoniac. You will never fear the Devil in the body of...

(1) I exhort you, dearly beloved, as often as you come to church put idle conversation and worldly gossip far from you; moreover, hear the divine lessons with an eager and longing heart. Whoever neglects to pray or to sing when he comes to church, it would be better for such a man not to have come. Whoever does something that he should not have done in church, although he seems to be present in body, he is far away in spirit. What is worse, he does not sin alone or in only one matter when he does not listen...