Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. Sins are pardoned through penance, especially by meansof the sacrament of penance. Now, pardon of sin means infusion ofgrace. And from grace all virtues flow. Hence, virtues lost by sinare recovered by penance, and notably by the sacrament of penanceworthily received.
2. A man rises through penance to the virtue he lost, buthe has not always the full strength of that virtue immediately uponregaining it.
3. A man is restored by penance to his former dignity; bythe grace infused, he is numbered again with the children ofGod.
4. If a man with virtuous deeds to his credit commitsmortal sin, his good deeds are rendered lifeless and ineffective,because mortal sin turns the man completely away from God andeternal life.
5. But if a man by penance recovers the grace of God, hisgood deeds, deadened by his sin, come to life again. Hencemeritorious deeds done formerly are revived by penance. The lostmerits are regained.
6. However, good works done in the state of mortal sinhave not any power of merit in them when they are performed. Nor issuch power infused into them when penance restores their author tograce. Dead works (that is, good and meritorious works done in thestate of mortal sin), stay dead. They are not brought to life bypenance.
"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. "
Thomas á Kempis
* * *
"We must not be behind time in doing good; for death will not be behind his time. "
St Phillip Neri
* * *
"If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel."
Thomas á Kempis
* * *