The Sin of Lucifer and his Apostate Angels.
Our first duty is to remove every impediment which may prevent us from attaining the end of our creation, and from serving God; and then procure a supply of virtue. Now this impediment (and it is the only one) is sin, the guilt and detestable nature of which you may learn by meditating the fall of Lucifer, and then that of our first parents.
I. In what a glorious state Lucifer and his companions were created! Of them are understood the words of Ezekiel [xxviii. 12], "Thou wast the seal of resemblance, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty; thou wast in the pleasure of the paradise of God, every precious stone was thy covering, the Sardius, the Topaz," etc. These precious ornaments were: 1. Pure spirituality, without any material combination. 2. Immortality. 3. Superior subtilty of understanding. 4. An universal knowledge of all inferior objects. 5. Strength and power superior to all other creatures. 6. Free-will and command over their own actions. 7. Eminent sanctity, resulting from the gifts of grace. 8. They were inhabitants of heaven.
II. In a moment they lost or obscured all these ornaments of nature and grace by pride, and (as all sinners do) by wishing for that which was unlawful for them. Reflect how they were immediately cast headlong into hell, without hope of mercy. Meditate deeply those words of St. Peter: "If God spared not the angels that sinned, but having cast them down into the place of torments, delivered them into the chains of hell to be tormented, the Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be tormented." (2 Peter ii. 4.)
