So High The Price - A little Fire and Brimstone

So High The Price ^ | March, 1968 | P.J.. Kelly, S.T.L.

[Stubborn]

So High the Price opens before our eyes the gates of hell, relying always on Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church. Vivid examples abound and the moral is ever an encouraging one for us. We who are living have the glorious opportunity of not only avoiding that very real place of torment, but of realizing that God has given us the free will to choose Him ourselves.

This compact volume does not leave one fearful and trembling. But it does lead each of its readers to a stronger resolution to choose God and His heaven.

[Stubborn]

THE OPTIMISTS

The optimists object: “Can it be possible that God punishes a momentary sinful pleasure with an eternity of pain?”

It is not only possible, but it is right and just. The offence given by the sinner to God when he transgresses His holy laws involves infinite malice, since it is an offence to infinite Majesty. Therefore, it deserves an infinite punishment. But since man, being finite, is incapable of undergoing punishment that is infinite in intensity, God punishes him with a chastisement infinite in duration. In acting thus, God acts justly.

Consider my son, that if you go to hell, you will never leave it. There, every pain is suffered and suffered forever.

Even when a hundred years have gone by since you went to hell, or a thousand, hell will be just beginning. After a hundred thousand, a hundred million years, after millions of centuries, hell will still be just beginning.

If an angel were to bring news to the damned that God had decided to free them from hell when as many million centuries had passed as there are drops of water in the ocean, leaves on the trees and grains of sand on the earth - if the damned were to hear that, they would be immensely consoled. "True", they would say, "many centuries must yet pass, but some day the time of our freedom will come." In reality, however, such vast stretches of time and more than we can possibly imagine, shall pass and find hell still only beginning.

Every soul damned in hell would be willing to make this agreement with God: "Lord, increase my suffering as much as You will; make me stay here in this place of torment as long as You will, but give me hope that someday You will free me."

But no, this hope, this end to suffering, shall never be.

At least if the poor soul of the damned could deceive himself and cheer himself up by thinking, "Who knows? Perhaps some day God will have pity on me and lift me out of this burning inferno."
No, not even that way is open to him, for he will forever see written before him the sentence of his wretched eternity.

"So", he will say, "all this terrible pain, this fire, will never end for me?"

"No," will come the answer. "No, never."
"Will they last forever?"
"Forever - for all eternity."
Oh, eternity! O bottomless pit! O sea without a shore! O endless tunnel! Who does not tremble at the thought of you!
Accursed sin! What tremendous agony you prepare for those who commit you!

[Stubborn]

Something of substance to me, that I hope might be of interest to others - while giving a little relief from all the election talk.

This compact volume does not leave one fearful and trembling. But it does lead each of its readers to a stronger resolution to choose God and His heaven.

[Convert from ECUSA]

One of the things that became clearer to me during the six years I researched and studied the Catholic Church, its teachings, and its Tradition, was the clear seriousness of sin and its effects, while at the same time, the many gifts, opportunities, and helps given (the Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Seven Sorrows of Mary, the Sacrament of Penance) so that all of us struggling sinners trying to follow Christ do not have to end up in Hell, or even Purgatory (or lessening the time in Purgatory). What all that did for me when I was still Anglican, and more so after I became Catholic, was to strengthen my determination to better avoid sin, to amend my life and make reparation for my faults, and increased my appreciation for the Sacrament of Penance and the Sacrament of the Altar.

We must never, ever forget the infinite Majesty and Justice of God, neither must we never, ever forget His infinite Mercy and Compassion.

[Stubborn]

Yep, I agree. We should never forget. Hell's reality may not be the most popular thing to think about, but, like spinach, it's good for us.

Interestingly, the book this thread is from was written back in 1968 and is long since out of print. Initially it was written because after the changes, seemingly all of a sudden, no one - and I mean no one in the post conciliar church, was preaching or teaching sin, hell or the eternal consequences of our actions anymore.The whole short book, even though its just full of short stories kinda like the one I chose for this thread, really brings up some very good food for thought.

[Rosary]

Very good , EXTREMLY TRUE ........for those who believe it or not, Hell will always exist and SIN is the only thing that will put us there.. a REFLECTION; Life is short and death is sure,the hour of death remains obscure. A SOUL you have and only ONE--If that be lost ,all hope is gone! Waste not your time, WHILE TIME SHALL LAST. For after death tis ever past . The all-seeing God your judge will be, HEAVEN or HELL YOUR DESTINY. All earthly things will fleet away ETERNITY SHALL EVER STAY !