ing the king’s horse on which Mardochai was seated in great pomp? Who could describe the rage and fury of the same Aman, when after suffering so much shame be was brought to be hanged in the sight of the triumphant Mardochai on the very gallows he had prepared for him? But what is it all compared to the shame, confusion, and despair of the damned, when they shall be forced to look on the last day at the chosen servants of God seated in glory, and to tremble and shudder at the feet of those whom they scarcely deigned to cast a glance on during life, while they themselves shall be dragged by the demons to hell?
Terrible on account of the separation from God. In those circumstances then the divine Judge shall open His mouth, and with a loud voice call out the sentence; He will no longer be meek and gentle as a lamb, but rather like a ravening lion, so that the whole earth shall tremble at the sound of His voice, as the Prophet David says: “At the voice of Thy thunder they shall fear.”[1] And what shall that sentence be? “Depart from Me, you cursed.” Let us consider the full import of these terrible words. “Depart from Me:” to understand this, it is enough to know what it is to be separated from God forever. But alas! who can tell us what that is? A saint who actually sees God and knows Him clearly should come down from heaven to enlighten us on the point, and even then we should fail to grasp it fully. We may get a slight idea of it from the state of mind of Absalom, that disobedient, obstinate, undutiful son, who was banished by his father, but recalled and restored to favor through the intercession of Joab, under the condition, however, that he should never dare to present himself before his father, nor even to look at him: “But the king said: Let him return into his house, and let him not see my face.”[2] This condition seemed too hard and intolerable to the son. He saw how the courtiers, ministers, and attendants, how citizens and strangers, and even the poor and oppressed were freely admitted to the king’s presence, while he himself dared not venture too near even to his father’s chamber. No longer able to bear this reproach, he entreated Joab, saying: “I beseech thee, therefore, that I may see the face of the king;” if that may not be, I have no longer any wish to live, and you may tell him that he can have me put to death: “If he be mindful of my iniquity, let
