Welcome To Jorge's Brave New World at 1984 Mockingbird Lane

Jorge Mario Bergoglio has proclaimed a “Jubilee Year of Mercy” to begin on December 8, 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the “Second” Vatican Council by Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria/Paul the Sick.  As has been well-established by now (see Jorge and Oscar's False Gospel of False Joy, part one, Jorge and Oscar's False Gospel of False Joy, part two, Jorge and Oscar's False Gospel of False Joy, part three, Jorge and Oscar's False Gospel of False Joy, part four, Jorge and Oscar's False Gospel of False Joy, part five, Jorge and Oscar's False Gospel of False Joy, part six and Jorge and Oscar's False Gospel of False Joy, part seven), though, the Argentine Apostate’s concept of “mercy” reaffirms hardened sinners in their sinful lives without demanding that they quit their sins and do penance for them. He has stated on numerous occasions that no one has to convert to what he thinks is the Catholic Faith.

Far from being an exemplar of “mercy,” Jorge Mario Bergoglio is actually sending souls to Hell by reaffirming them in false beliefs and/or horrifically sinful lives. His “Jubilee Year of Mercy” will include accepting anyone approaching with their paws outstretched for what is purported to be Holy Communion in the Protestant and Judeo-Masonic Novus Ordo liturgical service no matter what they are doing or what they believe.

Practice contraception?

Welcome to Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s “No Judgment Zone.”

Divorced and civilly “remarried” without a conciliar decree of nullity.

Welcome to Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s “Church of Accommodation.”

Engaged in sins of unnatural vice in violation of the Sixth and Ninth Commandments?

Welcome to Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s “Rainbow Coalition of Diversity.”

Are you “transgendered”?

Welcome to “Dr. Bergoglio’s Brave New Church,” which is located at 1984 Mockingbird Lane.

Are you a Jew or a Mohammedan or a “nonbeliever”?

Welcome to Jorge’s “Home Away From Home” for those who intend to “do good.”

Excluded from Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s “Jubilee Year of Mercy” are those who adhere to everything contained in the Sacred Deposit of Faith and who reject the Protestant and Judeo-Masonic Novus Ordo liturgical service as an abomination in the sight of God unless they undergo a “spiritual conversion,” at which point they might be admitted, however conditionally, to “Fidenzio Volpi’s Re-Education Detention Center for the Rigid and Pharisaical.”

Even though sarcasm has been employed in these descriptions, no one who has is possessed of something called intellectually honesty can  deny that they portray Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s wrecking ball of a “Petrine Ministry” with pinpoint accuracy.

Indeed, Bergoglio misrepresented Sacred Scripture, which is, of course, standard fare for a Modernist, by claiming that Saint Mary Magdalene’s true repentance before Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at Simon the Pharisee’s house is the model for what he intends to do in his “jubilee year.” It is not. Bergoglio intends to “welcome” one and all even though they have no intention whatsoever of reforming their lives and by comparing those who seek such reformation to be the moral equivalent of Simon the Pharisee:

There is the love of the sinful woman, who humbles herself before the Lord; but first there is the merciful love of Jesus for her, which pushes her to approach. Her cry of repentance and joy washes the feet of the Master, and her hair dries them with gratitude; her kisses are pure expression of her affection; and the fragrant ointment poured out with abundance attests how precious He is to her eyes. This woman’s every gesture speaks of love and expresses her desire to have an unshakeable certainty in her life: that of being forgiven. And Jesus gives this assurance: welcoming her, He demonstrates God’s love for her, just for her! Love and forgiveness are simultaneous: God forgives her much, everything, because “she loved much” (Luke 7:47); and she adores Jesus because she feels that in Him there is mercy and not condemnation. Thanks to Jesus, God casts her many sins away behind Him, He remembers them no more (cf. Is 43:25). For her, a new season now begins; she is reborn in love, to a new life.

This woman has really met the Lord. In silence, she opened her heart to Him; in pain, she showed repentance for her sins; with her tears, she appealed to the goodness of God for forgiveness. For her, there will be no judgment except that which comes from God, and this is the judgment of mercy. The protagonist of this meeting is certainly the love that goes beyond justice.

Simon the Pharisee, on the contrary, cannot find the path of love. He stands firm upon the threshold of formality. He is not capable of taking the next step to go meet Jesus, who brings him salvation. Simon limited himself to inviting Jesus to dinner, but did not really welcome Him. In his thoughts, he invokes only justice, and in so doing, he errs. His judgment on the woman distances him from the truth and does not allow him even to understand who guest is. He stopped at the surface, he was not able to look to the heart. Before Jesus’ parable and the question of which a servant would love his master most, the Pharisee answered correctly, “The one, to whom the master forgave most.” And Jesus does not fail to make him observe: “Thou hast judged rightly. (Lk 7:43)” Only when the judgment of Simon is turned toward love: then is he in the right.

The call of Jesus pushes each of us never to stop at the surface of things, especially when we are dealing with a person. We are called to look beyond, to focus on the heart to see how much generosity everyone is capable. No one can be excluded from the mercy of God; everyone knows the way to access it and the Church is the house that welcomes all and refuses no one. Its doors remain wide open, so that those who are touched by grace can find the certainty of forgiveness. The greater the sin, so much the greater must be the love that the Church expresses toward those who convert.

Dear brothers and sisters, I have often thought about how the Church might make clear its mission of being a witness to mercy. It is journey that begins with a spiritual conversion. For this reason, I have decided to call an extraordinary Jubilee that is to have the mercy of God at its center. It shall be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live this Year in the light of the Lord's words: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (cf. Lk 6:36)”

This Holy Year will begin on this coming Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will end on November 20, 2016, the Sunday dedicated to Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – and living face of the Father’s mercy. I entrust the organization of this Jubilee to the Pontifical Council for Promotion of the New Evangelization, that [the dicastery] might animate it as a new stage in the journey of the Church on its mission to bring to every person the Gospel of mercy. (Announcement of Year of Mercy.)

Consider how the Patron Saint of Moral Theologians, Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, describes the true compassion of Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for sinners, a compassion that is premised upon the resolve of the sinner to amend his life:

10. Jesus Christ has come, not to condemn, but to deliver sinners from Hell, as soon as they resolve to amend their lives. And when he seems them obstinately bent on their own perdition he addresses them with tears in the words of Ezechiel: “Why will you die, O house of Israel?”—xxvii. 31. My children, why will you die? Why do you voluntarily rush into Hell, when I have come from Heaven to deliver you from it by my death? He adds: You are already dead to the grace of God. But will not your death: return to me, and I will restore to you the life which you have lost. “For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: return yet and live”—v. 32. But some sinners, who are immersed in the abyss of sin, may say: Perhaps, if we return to Jesus Christ, he will drive us away. No; for the Redeemer has said: “And him that comes to me I will not cast out”—John, vi. 37. No one that comes to me with sorrow for his past sins, however manifold and enormous they have been, shall be rejected.  (Saint Alphonsus de Ligouri, Sermon XVIII, For the Fourth Sunday of Lent, “On the Tender Compassion Jesus Christ Entertains Towards Sinners,” The Sermons of St. Alphonsus de Liguori For All the Sundays of the Year, Published 1852 by James Duffy, Dublin, Ireland, and reprinted by TAN Books in 1982, pp. 146.)

It is not enough to shed tears. The condition for receiving absolution from a true Catholic priest in the Sacred Tribunal of Penance is for the penitent to resolve to amend his life. Those who chose to persist in Mortal Sins send themselves to Hell.

Ah, Jorge Mario Bergoglio really does not believe that anyone can go to Hell if they “encounter the Lord” and express some kind of sorrow, which is nothing other than recycled Lutheranism. (For an excellent commentary on Bergoglio’s religion of sentimentality and false mercy, see Novus Ordo Watch Wire.)

Here is news that may give Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s sensitive digestive tract a bit of agita: the Mother of God has spoken of Hell to a sinner and has shown three shepherd children souls suffering in Hell in itself:

Then the Lady said, "Where does that heretic live who cut the willow tree? Does he not want to be converted?"

Pierre [Port-Combet, who had become a Calvinist] mumbled an answer. The Lady became more serious, "Do you think that I do not know that you are the heretic? Realize that your end is at hand. If you do not return to the True Faith, you will be cast into Hell! But if you change your beliefs, I shall protect you before God. Tell people to pray that they may gain the good graces which, God in His mercy has offered to them."

Pierre was filled with sorrow and shame and moved away from the Lady. Suddenly realizing that he was being rude, Pierre stepped closer to her, but she had moved away and was already near the little hill. He ran after her begging, "Please stop and listen to me. I want to apologize to you and I want you to help me!"

The Lady stopped and turned. By the time Pierre caught up to her, she was floating in the air and was already disappearing from sight. Suddenly, Pierre realized that the Most Blessed Virgin Mary had appeared to him! He fell to his knees and cried buckets of tears, "Jesus and Mary I promise you that I will change my life and become a good Catholic. I am sorry for what I have done and I beg you please, to help me change my life…"

On August 14, 1656, Pierre became very sick. An Augustinian priest came to hear his confession and accepted him back into the Catholic Church. Pierre received Holy Communion the next day on the Feast of the Assumption. After Pierre returned to the Catholic Faith, many others followed him. His son and five daughters came back to the Catholic Church as well as many Calvinists and Protestants. Five weeks later on September 8, 1656, Pierre died and was buried under the miraculous willow tree, just as he had asked. (Our Lady of the Willow Tree.)

It was on July 13, 1917, that Our Lady showed Jacinta and Francisco Marto and Lucia dos Santos the place that will be, most unfortunately, the future eternal home of Jorge Mario Begoglio unless he repents of his crimes against the honor and glory and majesty of the Most Blessed Trinity and the eternal and temporal good of the souls redeemed by the shedding of Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's Most Precious Blood during His Passion and Death on the wood of the Holy Cross, Hell:

"I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, [August] to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you."

"Continue to come here every month. In October, I will tell you who I am and what I want, and I will perform a miracle for all to see and believe."

Lucia made some requests for sick people, to which Mary replied that she would cure some but not others, and that all must say the rosary to obtain such graces, before continuing: "Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

"You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.

"To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world."

Mary specifically told Lucia not to tell anyone about the secret at this stage, apart from Francisco, before continuing: "When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: 'O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need.' "

Lucia asked if there was anything more, and after assuring her that there was nothing more, Mary disappeared off into the distance. (Our Lady's Words at Fatima.)

Our Lady promised on July 13 1917, to return to request the consecration of Russia by the Holy Father. She came to visit Sister Lucia in Tuy, Spain, on June 13, 1929, to specify the terms of this consecration:

"The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the Bishops in the world, to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. There are so many souls whom the Justice of God condemns for sins committed against me, that I have come to ask reparation: sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray." (Our Lady's Words at Fatima.)

Our Lady herself said that “There are so many souls whom the Justice of God condemns for sins committed against” her, the Theotokos, “that I have come to ask for reparation.”

Yes, the Mother of God spoke of the Justice of God, a truth that Jorge Mario Bergoglio denies by implying that such justice is incompatible with God’s Mercy. Bergoglio does not believe that God condemns any sinner to Hell for all eternity, save for perhaps the “rigid,” closed-in-on-themselves” adherents of the “no church” of the past. Bergoglio, though, is being ever faithful to his false religion, whose Roman Rite liturgy makes no mention of a God Who judges and the need for sinners to do penance for their sins lest their go to Hell for all eternity. In other words, Jorge Mario Bergoglio believes that the Mother of God and the Fathers of the Council of Trent, who met under the Divine guidance and infallible protection of the Third Person of the Most Blessed Trinity, were wrong. He is a blaspheming heretic who is sending himself and those who follow him to Hell.

For those who want Catholic teaching on the true compassion of God for sinners, please read the entirety of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori’s sermon for Laetare Sunday in the appendix below. It is much different than that of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer was a true Catholic bishop, priest and doctor of the Church. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is a heretic and lay member of the revolutionized Society of Jesus.

We must continue to pray to Our Lady during this Lenten season of repentance to weep over our sins as we seek to make reparation for them as the consecrated slaves of her Divine Son, Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, praying as many Rosaries each day as our state-in-life permits.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, triumph soon.

Viva Cristo Rey! Vivat Christus Rex!

Immaculate Heart of Mary, triumph soon. 

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us! 

Saint Joseph, Patron of Departing Souls, pray for us. 

Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us. 

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

Saint John the Evangelist, pray for us. 

Saint Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Gabriel the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Raphael the Archangel, pray for us. 

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us. 

Saints Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, pray for us.

Saint Patrick, pray for us.

Appendix

For the Fourth Sunday of Lent

On the tender compassion which Jesus Christ entertains towards sinners

“Make the men sit down”—John, vi. 10.

We read in this day’s gospel, that, having gone up into a mountain with his disciples, and seeing a multitude of five thousand persons who followed him because they saw the miracles which he wrought on them that were diseased, the Redeemer said to St. Philip: “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” “Lord”, answered St. Philip, “two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient that every one may take a little”.  St. Andrew then said: “There is a boy here that has five barley loaves and two fishes; but what are these among so many?” But Jesus Christ said: Make the men sit down. And he distributed the loaves and fishes among them. The multitude were satisfied: and the fragments of bread which remained filled twelve baskets. The Lord wrought this miracle through compassion for the bodily wants of these poor people; but for more tender is his compassion for those who are deprived of the divine grace. This tender compassion of Jesus Christ for sinners shall be the subject of this day’s discourse.

1. Through the bowels of his mercy towards men, who groaned under the slavery of sin and Satan, our most loving Redeemer descended from Heaven to Earth, to redeem and save them from eternal torments, by his own death. Such was the language of St. Zachary, the father of the Baptist, when the Blessed Virgin, who had already become the mother of the Eternal Word, entered his house: “Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us”—Luke, i. 78.

2. Jesus Christ, the good pastor, who came into the world to obtain salvation for us his sheep, has said: “I am come that they may have life and may have it more abundantly”—John, x. 10.) Mark the expression, “more abundantly”, which signifies that the Son of Man came on Earth not only to restore us to the life of grace which we lost, but to give us a better life than that which we forfeited by sin. Yes; for, as St. Leo says, the benefits which we have derived from the death of Jesus, are greater than the injury which the Devil has done us by sin. “Ampliora adept sumus per Christi gratiam quam per daibli amisceramus invidiam”—ser. 1., de Ascen. The same doctrine is taught by the Apostle, who says that, “where sin abounded, grace did more abound”—Rom., v 20.

3. But, my Lord, since thou hast resolved to take human flesh, would not a single prayer offered by thee be sufficient for the redemption of all men? What need then was there of leading of life of poverty, humiliation, and contempt, for thirty-three years, of suffering a cruel and shameful death on an infamous gibbet, and of shedding all thy blood by dint of torments? I know well, answers Jesus Christ, that one drop of my blood or a simple prayer, would be sufficient for the salvation of the world; but neither would be sufficient to show the love which I bear to men: and therefore, to be loved by men when they should see me dead on the cross for the love of them, I have resolved to submit to so many torments and to so painful a death. This, he says, is the duty of a good pastor. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd given his life for his sheep. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep…I lay down my life for my sheep”—John, x. 11, 15.

4. O men, O men, what greater proof of love could the Son of God give us than to lay down his life for us his sheep? “In this we have known the charity of God; because he hath laid down his life for us”—I. John, iii. 16. No one, says the Saviour, can show greater love to his friends, than to give his life for them. “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends”—John, xv. 13. But thou, O Lord, hast died not only for friends, but for us who were thy enemies by sin. “When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son”—Rom., v. 10. O infinite love of our God, exclaims St. Bernard; “to spare slaves, neither the Father has spared the Son, nor the Son himself”. To pardon us, who were rebellious servants, the Father would not pardon the Son, and the Son would not pardon himself, but, by his death, has satisfied the divine justice for the sins which we have committed.

5. When Jesus Christ was near his passion, he went one day to Samaria: the Samaritans refused to receive him. Indignant at the insult offered by the Samaritans to their Master, St. James and St. John, turning to Jesus, said: “Lord, wilt though that we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them?”—Luke, ix. 54. But Jesus, who was all sweetness, even to those who insulted him, answered: “You know not of what spirit you are. The Son of Man came not to destroy souls, but to save”—v. 55 and 56. He severely rebuked the disciples. What spirit is this spirit of patience and compassion; for I am come, not to destroy, but to save the souls of men” and you speak of fire, of punishment, and of vengeance. Hence, in another place, he said to his disciples: “Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart”—Mat., xi. 29. I do not wish you to learn of me to chastise, but to be meek, and to bear pardon and injuries.

6. How beautifully has he described the tenderness of his heart towards sinners in the following words!—“What man of you that hath an hundred sheep; and, if he lose one of them, doth he not  leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which is lost until he find it: and go after that which is lost until he find it: and when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulder rejoicing; and coming home, call together his friends and neighours, saying to them: Rejoice with me; because I have found my sheep that was lost?”—Luke, xv. 4, 5, and 6. But, O Lord, it is not that thou oughtest to rejoice, but the sheep that has found her pastor and her God. The sheep indeed, answers Jesus; rejoices at finding me, her shepherd; but far greater is the joy which I feel at having found one of my lost sheep. He concludes the parable in these words,--“I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in Heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than ninety-nine just, who need not penance”—Luke, xv. 7. There is more joy in Heaven at the conversion of one sinner, than upon ninety-nine just men who preserve their innocence. What sinner, then, can be so hardened, as not to go instantly and cast himself at the feet of his Saviour, when he knows the tender love with which Jesus Christ is prepared to embrace him and carry him on his shoulders, as soon as he repents of his sins?

7. The Lord has also declared his tenderness towards penitent sinners in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke, xv. 12, & c.). In that parable the Son of God says, that a certain young man, unwilling to be any longer under the control of his father, and desiring to live according to his caprice and corrupt inclinations, asked the portion of his father’s substance which fell to him. The father gave it with sorrow weeping over the ruin of his son. The son departed from his father’s house. Having in a short time dissipated his substance, he was reduced to such a degree of misery, that, to procure the necessities of life, he was obliged to feed swine. All this was a figure of a sinner, who, after departing from God, and losing the divine grace and all the merits he had acquired, leads a life of misery under the slavery of the Devil. In the gospel it is added, that the young man, seeing his wretched condition, resolved to return to this father: and the father, who is a figure of Jesus Christ, seeing his sin return to him, was instantly moved to pity. “His father saw him, and was moved with compassion”—v. 20; and, instead of driving him away, as the ungrateful son had deserved, “running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him”. He ran with open arms to meet him by his embraces. He then said to his servants: “Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him.” According to St. Jerome and St. Augustine, the first robe signifies divine grace, which, in addition to new celestial gifts, God, by granting pardon, gives to the penitent sinner. “And put a ring on his finger”. Give him the ring of a spouse. By recovering the grace of God, the soul becomes again the spouse of Jesus Christ. “And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry”—v. 23. Bring hither the fatted calf—which signifies the holy c communion or Jesus in the holy sacrament mystically killed and offered in sacrifice on the altar;--let us eat and rejoice. But why, O divine Father, so much joy at the return of so ungrateful a child? Because, answers the Father, this my son was dead, and he is come to life again; he was lost, and I have found him.

8. The tenderness of Jesus Christ was experienced by the sinful woman (according to St. Gregory, Mary Magdalene) who cast herself at the feet of Jesus, and washed them with her tears (Luke vii. 47 and 50). The Lord turning to her with sweetness, consoled her by saying: “Thy sins are forgiven;...thy faith hath made thee safe; go in peace”—Luke, vii. 48 and 50. Child, they sins are pardoned; they confidence in me has saved thee; go in peace. It was also felt by the man who was sick for thirty-eight years, and who has infirm in both body and soul. The lord cured his malady, and  pardoned his sins. “Behold”, says Jesus to him, “thou art made whole; sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee”—John, v. 14. The tenderness of the Redeemer was also felt by the leper who said to Jesus Christ: “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean”—Matt., viii. 2. Jesus answered: I will” be thou made clean”—v. 3, As if he said: “Yes; I will that thou be made clean; for I have come down from Heaven for the purpose of consoling all: be healed, then, according to thy desire. “And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed.”

9. We have also a proof of the tender compassion of the Son of God for sinners, in his conduct towards the woman caught in adultery. The scribes and the pharisees bought her before him, and said: “This woman was even now taken in adultery. Now Moses, in the law, commands us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou?”—John, viii. 4 and 5. And this they did, as St. John says, tempting him. They intended to accuse of transgressing the law of Moses if he said that she ought to be liberated; and they expected to destroy his character for meekness, if he said that she should be stoned. “Si dicat lapidandam”, says St. Augustine, “famam perdet mansuetudinis; sin dimittendam, transgressae legis accusabitur”—tract. xxxiii., in Joan. But what was the answer of our Lord? He neither said that she should be stoned nor dismissed; but, “bowing himself down, he wrote with his finger on the ground”. The interpreters say, that, probably, what he wrote on the ground was a text of Scripture admonishing the accusers of their own sins, which were, perhaps greater than that of the woman charged with adultery. “He then lifted himself up, and said to them: ‘He that is without sin among you, let them first cast a stone at her’”—v. 7. The scribes and the pharisees went away one by one, and the woman stood alone. Jesus Christ, turning to her, said: “Hath no one condemned thee. Go, and now sin no more”—v. 11. Since no one has condemned you, fear not that you shall be condemned by me, who have come on Earth, not to condemn, but to pardon and save sinners: go in peace, and sin no more.

10. Jesus Christ has come, not to condemn, but to deliver sinners from Hell, as soon as they resolve to amend their lives. And when he seems them obstinately bent on their own perdition he addresses them with tears in the words of Ezechiel: “Why will you die, O house of Israel?”—xxvii. 31. My children, why will you die? Why do you voluntarily rush into Hell, when I have come from Heaven to deliver you from it by my death? He adds: You are already dead to the grace of God. But will not your death: return to me, and I will restore to you the life which you have lost. “For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: return yet and live”—v. 32. But some sinners, who are immersed in the abyss of sin, may say: Perhaps, if we return to Jesus Christ, he will drive us away. No; for the Redeemer has said: “And him that comes to me I will not cast out”—John, vi. 37. No one that comes to me with sorrow for his past sins, however manifold and enormous they have been, shall be rejected.

11. Behold how, in another place, the Redeemer encourages us to throw ourselves at this feet with a secure hope of consolation and pardon. “Come to me, all you that labour and are burdened and I will refresh you”—Mat., xi. 28. Come to me, all ye poor sinners, who labour for your own damnation, and who groan under the weight of your crimes; come, and I will deliver you from all your troubles. Again, he says, “Come and accuse me, saith the Lord; if our sins be scarlet, they shall be white as snow; and if they bed as crimson, they shall be made white as wool”—Isa., i 18. Come with sorrow for the offenses you committed against me, and if I do not give you pardon, accuse me. As if he said: Upbraid me; rebuke me as a liar; for I promise that, though your sins were of scarlet—that is, of the most horrid enormity—your soul, by my blood, in which I shall was it, will become white and beautiful as snow.

12. Let us, then, O sinners, return incessantly to Jesus Christ. If we have left him, let us immediately return before death overtakes us in sin, and sends us to Hell, where the mercies and graces of the Lord shall, if we do not amend, be so many swords which shall lacerate the heart for all eternity.” (Saint Alphonsus de Ligouri, Sermon XVIII, For the Fourth Sunday of Lent, “On the Tender Compassion Jesus Christ Entertains Towards Sinners,” The Sermons of St. Alphonsus de Liguori For All the Sundays of the Year, Published 1852 by James Duffy, Dublin, Ireland, and reprinted by TAN Books in 1982, pp. 142-148.)