W
WFS5801
Guest
Understood. But sinners, some when they are dying, are sometimes granted special favors to enable them to make a perfect Act of Contrition. This favor may come because of some past devotion to our Lady (for example) or for reasons unknown to anyone but God. But we know that this has happened in the past because saints have told us that it has.
It definitely is not something to count on, which would be the sin of presumption. But to presume that sinners, even though they are struggling with serious sin, can’t truly want to love God and please Him – even when they are weak – is to ignore the battles fought by men like King David (for example). Just read the Psalms and you’ll see a struggling soul who loved his Lord but who also sinned grievously against our Lord and offended Him deeply.
God is a just God, but thankfully He is also a merciful God. Otherwise none of us would have a chance. Just as presumption is a sin, so is despair and, as long as we live, we have hope.
It should also be mentioned that the healthy fear of Hell can result in a deep love of God. Just thinking of how many times I’ve offended my God, and how many times I’ve stood on the crumbling rocks above the eternal lake of fire, how any little shove or gust of wind could have sent me to an eternity of punishment, and KNOWING that my offended God, in His infinite mercy saw fit to protect me and preserve me from my just punishment, can fill my heart with gratitude and love for Him. That’s why saints have written books on Hell. Not only as a warning to sinners, but also to highlight the mercy and love of our Lord.