me so long? O that I had died before offending thee! I will never displease thee more; I will love thee, O infinite goodness; give me only the grace of perseverance! give me thy holy love! [Excite your heart to contrition, and make a firm resolution .]
III. Consider that when the number of sins exceeds a certain limit, God abandons the sinner. “The Lord patiently expecteth, that when the day of judgment shall come, he may punish them in the fulness of their sins.” (2 Mach. vi. 14.) When, then, my brethren, you are tempted again to sin, never more say: I will confess my sins afterwards. If God should let you die first, if he should entirely desert you, what would become of you for all eternity? Alas! how many in this way have been lost! They too hoped for pardon, but the hour of death came, and they were lost. O tremble, for fear the same thing should befal you.
He deserves no mercy who takes advantage of the goodness of God to offend him. God has already pardoned you so many sins. You have reason enough to fear that God will not forgive the next mortal sin you commit. Thank him for having waited for you so kindly and so long, and make the firm resolution rather to suffer death than to commit sin again.
From this day forward, always say: O my God! I have often offended thee! I will not employ the remnant of my life in displeasing thee more; no, thou dost not merit such treatment as this. I will employ it only in loving thee, and in sorrow for the sins I have committed against thee I repent of them with my whole heart. My Jesus, I am anxious to love thee; wilt thou give me strength and help me? Amen. [ Excite in your soul a sorrow for sin, and make a firm resolution.]
