Man Must Fear God

God is the supreme lord and master, the ruler of heaven and earth. He keeps all things in existence by that omnipotent power where- with He created them. He is present every- where by His immensity. He sees all things, even the most hidden thoughts of men.

Up to the present God has given us all we are and have, while the future is entirely in His keeping. He may punish us any moment if we disregard His law and offend against His divine majesty. To evil escapes the Master of life and death. If He does not punish the sinner in this life, God is eternal and can afford to wait. Sooner or later He will summon every one before His judgment by death. He will then condemn the unrepentant sinner to eternal perdition, and, at the end of the world, overwhelm him with public confusion.

Truly does St. Paul therefore say: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. x. 31). Hence the Savior exhorts us to '' fear Him that can destroy both soul and body in hell '' (Matt. x. 28).

Man Owes God Gratitude

2. Man Owes God Gratitude.

Gratitude is the obligation of giving thanks to a benefactor. God is the great benefactor of mankind. He called us into existence when He was infinitely happy, and had no need of us. He made us to His own image and likeness, though we cannot thank Him adequately for the existence of a stone in the field or of a plant by the wayside. God has further put us under obligation by destining us for the joys of heaven, and by supplying us with super- abundant means of earning the "reward exceeding great.'' Finally, when sin came into the world, God put mankind under still greater obligation by extending to us the benefits of His mercy to that extent that He actually condemned His own Son to pay the penalty of our sins. Our divine Savior earned our lasting gratitude by freely laying down His life for our salvation, by instituting a divine Church and seven sacraments for our sake, and by sending the Holy Ghost to guide us on the sure way to heaven.

In addition to these varied blessings to all mankind God put every one of us under additional obligation to Him by giving us life, health, talents, and opportunities, by giving us the priceless treasure of the true faith, and by continually giving us evidence of His goodness, love, and mercy. He is patient when we are wayward, prompt to help when we invoke His aid, generous in His grace, and paternal in His solicitude. If we appreciate His favors and do His holy will, He extends the special protection of His providence to us, predestines us to glory, and conducts us to eternal happiness.

The Foundation of the Interior Life - I-1

PART I

THE INTERIOR LIFE

SECTION I

THE FOUNDATION OF THE INTERIOR LIFE

I. A KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S CLAIMS ON MAN.

1. Man Owes God Reverence.

IF reverence is the esteem and honor due to excellence, God is deserving of the highest reverence. He is the only being that exists of Himself, and is sufficient unto Himself from eternity to eternity. God is infinitely perfect, present everywhere; He sees and sustains all things. Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool. He speaks, and the mountains melt like wax and the heavens are folded up like a scroll. His very name causes all to tremble, and every knee to bow in heaven, on earth, and in hell.

He is a triune God. From all eternity the Father knows Himself so well that His knowledge assumes the personality of the Son. And the mutual love, that proceeds from the Father and the Son, completes the Blessed Trinity in the personality of the Holy Ghost. As all three persons are equally God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are equally excellent and worthy of our reverence.

The infinite goodness of God prompted His wisdom to plan and His power to create all things for His honor and glory and the welfare of His creatures. God watches over His creatures with a paternal solicitude, which Jesus compared to the tender love of a mother for her child.

THE INTERIOR LIFE

The Interior Life is the Spiritual Life considered from a human standpoint. It is the return of the Prodigal, the submission of rebellious man to God. It consists in subjecting corrupt nature to the dominion of reason enlightened by faith, or in living in harmony and union with God. The self-conquest and conformity to the divine will, necessary to attain the perfection of the interior life, must extend not only to man's external conduct, but even to his inmost thoughts and desires, " The Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the thoughts of men'' (Prov. xxviii. 9). By this absolute surrender of self to God man places the proximate condition necessary for grace to become the efficient cause of his sanctification.