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behalf (as St Thomas says) is likewise, as it were, an infinite injury. [1]

POINT I.

First, I consider the infinite perfections Almighty God has in Himself, especially those against which sin directly fights, and from whence it receives greatest deformity and heinousness.

1. And first of all I will consider the infinite goodness of Almighty God, for which He is highly to be beloved of all His creatures; and if another infinite love were possible, it were all due to Him. And this goodness is so great, that it is impossible to see it clearly and not highly to love it, as the blessed do. Now what greater mischief can there be, than to abhor and despise so infinite a goodness? and what greater injustice than to injure Him by hatred that is worthy of so infinite love?

Colloquy. — O infinite Goodness, how have I abhorred and despised Thee! Oh that I never had offended Thee! My grief, O my God, is greater for sin than for all else whatsoever! For I desire to love Thee above all, whatsoever else may be beloved.

2. Secondly, I will consider the immensity of Almighty God, together with His infinite wisdom, by which He is really and truly present in every place, seeing and contemplating all that is done; and I should behold myself within this all-seeing immensity, within which I committed all my sins past and do commit those present, provoking Him by them to indignation, loathing and vomiting; for His "eyes (as the Scripture says) are too pure to behold evil " [2] without loathing, and His heart is so pure that wickedness makes Him " vomit" [3] Now, what greater blindness can there be than for me to live within the im-

  1. 1, 2, q. kxviii.; art. 4 et 3, p. q. i., art. 2 ad 2.
  2. Hab. i. 13.
  3. Apoc iii. 16.