Choose a topic from Part 3 Suppl:
1. A man in mortal sin cannot render satisfaction for hisother sins; for he cannot hold on to one or to some mortal sinswhile effectively satisfying for others. Yet a man who has the dutyof performing a penance imposed in confession is not freed fromthis obligation by reason of a mortal sin committed before theimposed penance is fully performed.
2. St. Paul (I Cor. 13:3) says: "If I shoulddistribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should delivermy body to be burned, and have not charity, if profiteth menothing." Charity is impossible to hold without the grace ofGod, and a man in mortal sin has forfeited that grace. He iswithout charity. Hence, his works have no value as satisfaction,even if offered as satisfaction for old and forgiven sins fromwhich he was absolved before his lapse into the present mortal sinthat stains his soul.
3. Nor do works of satisfaction which are ineffective ordead because their author is in the state of mortal sin, come tofife and exist as true works of satisfaction when he is restored tograce. Dead works lack the power of satisfaction when performed andever afterwards. Yet the performing of good works is valuable to aman in sin; not, indeed, as satisfaction, but as disposing him torepentance, and as setting up a congruous claim for the grace ofcontrition.
4. Works done without charity (which is love andfriendship existing by grace between God and the soul) are not onlywithout satisfactory power, but they are without meritorious value.Such works cannot merit condignly either eternal life ortemporal good. Yet, as has been said, they may make fitting orcongruous the extending of God's mercy to raise their authorfrom sin.
5. Good works done in the state of mortal sin may be said todiminish the pains of hell in the sense that they indicatesomething of good disposition in the sinner; such works at leastkeep their author from doing what would settle him more deeply inhell than he now deserves to be settled.
"It is not God's will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will."
Blessed Henry Suso
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"Before a man chooses his confessor, he ought to think well about it, and pray about it also; but when he has once chosen, he ought not to change, except for most urgent reasons, but put the utmost confidence in his director."
St Philip Neri
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"Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.
"
Thomas á Kempis
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