Sinners,
the advice I want to give you will no doubt seem strange to you; but
if you understand it well, it is, on the contrary, inspired by tender
compassion toward you. I implore you on my knees, by the blood of
Christ and by the Heart of Mary, change your life, come back to the
road that leads to heaven, and do all you can to belong to the little
number of those who are saved. If, instead of this, you want to
continue walking on the road that leads to hell, at least find a way
to erase your baptism. Woe to you if you take the Holy Name of Jesus
Christ and the sacred character of the Christian engraved upon your
soul into hell! Your chastisement will be all the greater. So do what
I advise you to do: if you do not want to convert, go this very day
and ask your pastor to erase your name from the baptismal register,
so that there may not remain any remembrance of your ever having been
a Christian; implore your Guardian Angel to erase from his book of
graces the inspirations and aids he has given you on orders from God,
for woe to you if he recalls them! Tell Our Lord to take back His
faith, His baptism, His sacraments.
You
are horror-struck at such a thought? Well then, cast yourself at the
feet of Jesus Christ and say to Him, with tearful eyes and contrite
heart: "Lord, I confess that up till now I have not lived as a
Christian. I am not worthy to be numbered among Your elect. I
recognize that I deserve to be damned; but Your mercy is great and,
full of confidence in Your grace, I say to You that I want to save my
soul, even if I have to sacrifice my fortune, my honor, my very life,
as long as I am saved. If I have been unfaithful up to now, I repent,
I deplore, I detest my infidelity, I ask You humbly to forgive me for
it. Forgive me, good Jesus, and strengthen me also, that I may be
saved. I ask You not for wealth, honor or prosperity; I ask you for
one thing only, to save my soul."
And
You, O Jesus! What do You say? O Good Shepherd, see the stray sheep
who returns to You; embrace this repentant sinner, bless his sighs
and tears, or rather bless these people who are so well disposed and
who want nothing but their salvation. Brothers, at the feet of Our
Lord, let us protest that we want to save our soul, cost what it may.
Let us all say to Him with tearful eyes, "Good Jesus, I want to
save my soul," O blessed tears, O blessed sighs!
