The merciful chastisements of God

I. God is infinite Goodness and desires only our good and to communicate to us His own happiness. When He chastises us, it is because we have obliged Him to do so by our sins. Hence the Prophet Isaias says that on such occasions He doth a work that is strange to him (Is. xxviii. 21). Hence it is said that it is the property of God to have mercy and to spare, to dispense His favours and to make all happy.

O God, it is this Thy infinite Goodness which sinners offend and despise when they provoke Thee to chastise them! Wretch that I am, how often have I offended Thy infinite Goodness!

Let us therefore understand that when God threatens us it is not because He desires to punish us, but because He wishes to deliver us from punishment; He threatens because He would have compassion on us. O God,... thou hast been angry, and hast had mercy on us (Ps. lix. 3). But how is this? He is angry with us and yet treats us with mercy? Yes! He shows Himself angry towards us in order that we may amend our lives, and that thus He may be able to pardon and save us. Hence, if in this life He chastises us for our sins, He does so in His mercy, for by so doing He frees us from eternal chastisements. How unfortunate, then, is the sinner who escapes punishment in this life!

Since, then, O my God, I have so much offended Thee, chastise me in this life, that Thou mayest spare me in the next. I know that I have certainly deserved hell; I accept all kinds of pain, that Thou mayest reinstate me in Thy grace and deliver me from hell where I should be forever separated from Thee. Enlighten and strengthen me to overcome every obstacle to Thy friendship.

II. He that makes no account of the Divine threats ought to fear much lest the chastisement threatened in Scripture should suddenly overtake him. The man that with a stiff neck despiseth him that reproveth him, shall suddenly be destroyed, and health shall not follow him (Prov. xxix. 1). A sudden death shall overtake him that despises God's reprehensions, and he shall have no time to avoid eternal destruction.

This, O Jesus, has happened to so many, and I, indeed, have deserved that the like should happen to me; but, O my Redeemer, Thou hast shown mercy towards me that Thou hast not shown to many others who have offended Thee less frequently than I have, and who are now suffering in hell with not the least hope of ever again being able to regain Thy favour. I know, O Lord, that Thou desirest my salvation, and I also desire it that I may please Thee. I renounce all and turn myself to Thee, Who art my God and my only Good. I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, and Thee alone. O infinite Goodness, I am exceedingly displeased with myself for having hitherto done evil against Thee; and I wish that I had suffered every evil rather than offended Thee. Suffer me not any more to depart from Thee; rather let me die than offer Thee so great an injury. In Thee, my crucified Jesus, do I place all my hopes. O Mary, Mother of Jesus, recommend me to thy Son.