fra' claudio 3

MERCY

A dead God to me

Look and think, my creature!... 

Who are you... and who am I...

You are a worm that crawls on the earth, today it is and tomorrow it is not... 

I am the Son of the Most High... creator and ruler of the whole universe. 

And for an infinite love incomprehensible to man, I left Heaven and came to Earth...t

ook a body similar to yours, lived poor, despised, vilified, betrayed, scourged, crowned with thorns, condemned, crucified, and died from atrocious pain among the pangs of my mother and the scorn of my people. 

And why all this?... 

For your sins, my creature. 

I redeemed you from the bondage of Satan. 

And you, what is your gratitude?... 

To a divine Heart that madly loved you?

What could I do... that I didn't do it? 

And as a reward, with your sins you deny me the painful passion... 

you make me agonize again on the cross.

-

Look and contemplate, my creature, your God who died for you!...

Oh, if you only knew who your God is! 

And what is hell... and heaven... you would change your life instantly! 

And don't you care about what you need for your salvation?... 

that all the riches of the world benefit you if you then lose your soul?

Oh miserable creature, love your infinitely merciful God: 

with Me you will have everything... 

without Me you will have only pain and eternal death.

I am necessary to your mind and your heart, because I am away truth and life and the only true happiness. Only by returning to Me will you have perfect joy on earth, true light, and in heaven you will be blessed for everlasting centuries, so be it.

-A minor friar-

[bron]