Dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena
[« Judas deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty
pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying : ' I have
sinned in betraying innocent blood.' They said: 'What is that to us?
Look to it yourself.' Flinging the money into the temple, he departed
and went off and hanged himself » (Mt 27,3-5). ]
Saint Catherine
heard God say to her: This is the sin that is never forgiven, now or
ever: the refusal, the scorning of my mercy. For this offends me more
than all the other sins they have committed. So the despair of Judas
displeased me more and was a greater insult to my Son than his betrayal
had been. Therefore, such as these are reproved for this false judgment
of considering their sin to be greater than my mercy... They are
reproved also for their injustice in grieving more for their own plight
than for having offended me.
They are being unjust in this
because they are not giving me what is mine, nor taking for themselves
what belongs to them. It is their duty to offer love and bitter
heartfelt contrition in my presence for the sins they have committed
against me. But they have done the opposite. They have lavished such
tender love on themselves and felt so sorry about the punishment they
expect for their sins! So you see how unjust they are. They will be
punished, therefore, on both accounts. They have scorned my mercy, so I
turn them over to my justice.
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