Salesian Literature

Chapter 8  :  How we are to unite our wills with God’s in allowing sin

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God knows an utter hatred of sin; yet, in his great wisdom, he permits it.  He does so to allow rational creatures to act in accord with their natures; also to make those who are good more praiseworthy for doing no wrong, when wrong lay in their power.  It is for us, then, to adore and praise God’s permissive will.

 

However, since providence has an infinite hatred of the sin it permits, we are to share that hatred; it is for us to wish with all our might that sin permitted may never be sin committed. Consequently, we are to make use of every possible means to prevent sin coming to birth, growing, and tyrannizing us.  In this we are to imitate our Lord, who never ceases to urge, promise, threaten, forbid, command or inspire us, in order to turn our wills away from sin – as far as that is possible without destroying their freedom.

 

But if sin has been committed, let us do all we can to wipe it out. If the sinner persists in his evil way, let us weep, Theotimus, let us sigh and pray for him to the Saviour of our souls.  Many were the tears our Lord shed over sinner, and those who typified them, during his life on earth; he even died, with tear-filled eyes and bleeding body, bemoaning the loss of sinners.

 

Still, however stubborn sinners may be, we are not to lose heart in coming to their aid, in doing what we can for them.  For all we know, they may do penance and be saved.  As long as there is any chance of a sinner mending his ways (and while there is life, there is hope), we are never to dismiss him, but go on praying for him, giving him what help his sorry state allows.

 

But at long last, after we have wept over the stubborn, after we have tried to save them in charity, we are to imitate our Lord and the apostles; in other words, we are to turn our minds to other things, other activities more conducive to God’s glory.  We cannot spend too much time mourning over some without losing time that should be devoted to saving others.

 

For the rest, we are to adore, love and praise eternally God’s retributive and punitive justice, exactly as we love his mercy; both qualities flow from his goodness.  Through his grace he means us to be good, for he is supremely good himself; through his justice he means to punish sin, for he hates it.   He hates sin, because – as the supreme good – he hates what is supremely evil.

 

In conclusion, there is one more thing to notice … God never withdraws his mercy from us except through the fair retribution of his punitive justice; nor do we ever escape the severity of his justice except through his justifying mercy.  No matter whether God punishes or rewards, his permissive will deserves our adoration, love and everlasting praise.

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