which she deserved." The Lord said: I am come that thy may have life, and may have it more abundantly. [John 10:10] I am come to give life to man, and a more abundant measure of life than what they had lost by sin. Not as the offence, so also the gift. [Rom. 5:15] Great had been the sin of man; but greater, says the Apostle, has been the gift of redemption, which has not only just sufficed for a remedy, but superabundantly: and with Him plentiful redemption. [Ps. 129:7] St. Anselm says, that the sacrifice of the life of Jesus Christ surpassed all the debts of sinners: "The life of that Man surpasses every debt which sinners owe." For this reason the Church styles the fault of Adam a happy one: "O happy fault, which deserved to have so great a Redeemer." It is true that sin has clouded the mind to the knowledge of eternal truths, and has introduced into the soul the concupiscence of sensible goods, forbidden by the Divine command; yes, but what helps and means has not Jesus Christ obtained for us by His merits, in order to procure us light and strength to vanquish all our enemies, and to advance in virtue? The holy Sacraments, the Sacrifice of Mass, prayer to God through the merits of Jesus Christ,---ah! these are indeed arms and means sufficient, not only to gain the victory over all temptation and concupiscence, but even to run forward and fly in the way of perfection. It is certain that by these very means given to us, all the Saints of the new law have become Saints. Ours, then, is the fault, if we do not avail ourselves of them.
Oh, how much more are we bound to thank Almighty
