The Way is Narrow that Leads to Life.

God is ready to heal those who sincerely wish to amend their lives, but cannot take pity on the obstinate sinner. The Lord pardons sins, but He cannot pardon those who are determined to offend Him. He who receives pardon is pardoned through the pure mercy of God, and they who are chastised, are justly punished. God is not obliged to wait for your repentance.

-- St. Alphonsus Liguori

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I find this quote totally appropriate to the rather common, confused idea today that God offers forgiveness for our sins automatically, whether we ask for it or not. We deceive ourselves into thinking that by adjusting our perceptive framework and sloughing off guilt as some sort of malfunction relating to faulty DNA, that we can do as we please, with, if not Heaven's blessing, then at least with its toleration. Has there ever been a more dangerous time than now?; and is it coincidence that overwhelming ease and temptation to sin has brought with it a kind of perverse appreciation for the "freedom" it offers? I know what it is like to feel numbed by this age and its overwhelming assault on the senses; I live here too. It's so easy to mis-[click] our way into terrible and unnatural sights hardly imagined a generation ago, let alone demonstrated in Hi-Definition. One has to pull back with all one's strength to remain detached and distant from the wide way that leads to death.

How will we protect our children? What will God do? He will not leave us orphans. He will act. His mercy owes us nothing; His justice may require our lives.

m1230