Sacred Scripture, God's Holy Word, tells us that there are sins that cannot be forgiven in the sense that they constitute such a terrible offense against the truth and the light - against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12: 31-32; 1 John 5: 16). The Scriptures speak here of a sin more radical than most mortal sins, of a sin which by its very nature blocks forgiveness.
Since the time of Saint Augustine (Father and Doctor of the Church), theologians have provided us with a list of sins against the Holy Spirit, proceeding from initial impenitence through obduracy (a hardening or stubborness in sin), presumption, despair, rejection of known truth, envy of the grace given to others, to final impenitence. (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 2-2, 1-4).
This final impenitence leads to Hell, which is the eternal separation from God begun in this life through free, self-determining choices to turn away from God and His Law of Love and to embrace inordinately some created good in God's place. Through its willingness to do what it knows is wicked in the sight of the Lord Jesus, the soul opens a chasm* between itself and its Lord. By rationalizing its sin, the soul makes this chasm wider and wider until it is unable to hear His call and discern the Word of Truth that He has spoken in this world.
The Lord Jesus, speaking from His Throne (Revelation 21: 5-8) tells us:
"..Behold, I make all things new...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water. The victor* will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son. But as for cowards*, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
Since the time of Saint Augustine (Father and Doctor of the Church), theologians have provided us with a list of sins against the Holy Spirit, proceeding from initial impenitence through obduracy (a hardening or stubborness in sin), presumption, despair, rejection of known truth, envy of the grace given to others, to final impenitence. (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 2-2, 1-4).
This final impenitence leads to Hell, which is the eternal separation from God begun in this life through free, self-determining choices to turn away from God and His Law of Love and to embrace inordinately some created good in God's place. Through its willingness to do what it knows is wicked in the sight of the Lord Jesus, the soul opens a chasm* between itself and its Lord. By rationalizing its sin, the soul makes this chasm wider and wider until it is unable to hear His call and discern the Word of Truth that He has spoken in this world.
The Lord Jesus, speaking from His Throne (Revelation 21: 5-8) tells us:
"..Behold, I make all things new...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water. The victor* will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son. But as for cowards*, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
* Chasm: Luke 16: 26
* Victor: Over the forces of evil; See the conclusions of the seven letters (Revelation 2: 7, 11, 17, 26; 3, 5: 12, 21).
* Cowards: Those whose conviction is so weak that they deny Christ in time of trial and become traitors.
Pray for homosexual activist John Hosty who not only rationalizes his homosexual partnership and same-sex "marriage," but who calumniates those who oppose homosexuality because of both Divine Revelation and Natural Law referring to them as "bigots."
ReplyDeletePray that he will repent and not suffer the punishments which arise from final impenitence.
This is what St. Paul refers to as the "mystery of iniquity." Some people actually remain impenitent, rejecting God's love and mercy right up until the end of their lives here on earth. Or they convince themselves that "there's enough time to repent later" and wait until it is too late.
ReplyDeleteIn a comment left at Defend the Fait blog, Mr. Hosty admitted that he violates Catholic teaching regarding homosexuality and has insisted that God created him to be homosexual and that there is "no sin" in committing homosexual acts. He has even justified his homosexual "marriage" as William correctly noted. Moreover, he engages in calumny against faithful Catholics who will not endorse his "marriage" or sodomy, referring to us not only as "bigots" but as a "hate group."
This person is in desperate need of prayer. Offer your rosaries for him and remember him at Holy Mass. William is right, we should pray that his obstinacy in sin will soften and that he will come to accept the Will of Christ for his life before it is too late.
Jude (vs. 3-7) states clearly:
ReplyDelete"Beloved, although I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, 3 I now feel a need to write to encourage you to contend for the faith that was once for all handed down to the holy ones.(3).
For there have been some intruders, who long ago were designated for this condemnation, godless persons, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.(4).
I wish to remind you, although you know all things, that (the) Lord who once saved a people from the land of Egypt later destroyed those who did not believe.(5).
The angels too, who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgment of the great day (6).
Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity and practiced unnatural vice, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire." (7).
Those who indulged in sexual promiscuity and unnatural vice (homosexuality) now suffer "by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire." Very clear language. Very clear warning.
There is no excuse for those who practice these things. The Scriptures say that their Destroyer is awake.
William, I went to the other website defend the faith and read the posts written on the two threads. You are right in saying that the homosexual activists are being hypocritical. They want to be treated with respect but the very first post in one thread was a cryptic warning and a veiled threat. I also read the posts accusing Catholics there of constituting a hate group and others accusing Catholics loyal to the Church as being bigots.
ReplyDeleteYou know, you can't reach people like that William. They can't see themselves. They will hold you up to some ridiculous standard that they don't even come close to living nor are they interested in doing so. Their tactic is to try to silence you by making you feel guilty for standing up for truth.
Not all homosexual persons act in such a childish fashion though. I think those who are posting at that website are fanatical activists. They don't want truth. Like Pilate, they ask "What is truth?" and walk away before one can give answer.
Pray for them but avoid them like the plague. Because in the final analysis, they are a sort of plague. A plague of evil and radical blindness.