Sunday, April 8, 2012

"On the miserable state of relapsing sinners"

"Resurrection," Piero della Francesca

The following is taken from a sermon for Easter Sunday by our Eastertide guide, St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church:

"I hope, my dear Christians, that, as Christ is risen, you have, in this holy paschal time, gone to confession, and have risen from your sins.  But, attend to what St. Jerome teaches - that many begin well, but few persevere.  .  . .  The crown of Paradise, says St. Bernard, is promised to those who commence, but is given only to those who persevere. . . .Do not imagine that you shall have no more temptations, but prepare yourself for the combat, and guard against a relapse into the sins you have confessed; for, if you lose the grace of God again, you shall find it difficult to recover it."

St. Alphonsus Liguori, pray for us.

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