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THE pains of the damned are equal as far as duration is
concerned, since they are eternal, but they differ very
much in degrees of rigor. God will render to each one
according to his works. [298] "It will be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day
of judgment than for that city" (which had refused to
receive the apostles). [299] "Woe to thee, Corozain."
[300] The wicked servant, who knew the will of his
master and has not done it, will receive a greater
number of stripes. He who did not know that will, and
has done things worthy of chastisement, will receive
fewer stripes. [301]
We read in the Apocalypse: "As much as she hath
glorified herself and lived in delicacies, so much
torment and sorrow give ye to her." [302] Already the
Book of Wisdom had said: "The mighty shall be mightily
tormented." [303]
Further, it is clear that punishment must be
proportioned to the gravity of the fault. Faults differ
in gravity and in number, hence the sufferings of hell
must be unequal in their rigor. [304] The avaricious
will not be punished in the same manner as the
voluptuous. We may say that the most guilty are at the
bottom of hell, though we can but conjecture the place
of hell.
Can there be mitigation of the accidental pain due to
venial sins, and of that due to the mortal sins,
forgiven but not expiated? Many theologians admit this
position as probable, because this accidental pain is
in itself temporary. Thus St. Thomas says: "It is not
improper to say that the pains of hell, so far as they
are accidental, may diminish up to the day of the last
judgment." [305]
We saw above that, by divine mercy, the damned suffer
less than they merit. [306] Nevertheless, the pain of
loss, even the smallest, surpasses immensely all the
sufferings of this world. Theologians commonly admit
this also for the pain of sense, since it is eternal,
without consolation, and in a soul which has already
the pain of loss.
A very probable position, upheld by many theologians,
is that God will not let die in sin those who have
committed only one mortal sin, especially if there is a
question of a sin of frailty. Final impenitence would
thus be restricted to inveterate sinners. As St. Peter
says: "God dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing
that anyone should perish, but that all should return
to penance." [307] God moves men to conversion. Hell is
the pain of obstinacy. [308]
Here we may dwell on the great promise of the Sacred
Heart to St. Margaret Mary. We quote Father T. J.
Bainvel, S.J., [309] who has made a long study of this
question. The promise runs thus: "On Friday, during
Holy Communion, our Lord spoke these words to his
unworthy slave, if she does not deceive herself; 'I
promise thee, in the excessive mercy of My heart, that
its omnipotent love will accord to all those who shall
receive Communion on nine successive First Fridays the
grace of final penance. They shall not die in disfavor
with God, nor without the sacraments, since My divine
heart is their assured refuge in this last moment.'"
[310]
Father Bainvel adds these words: "The promise is
absolute, supposing only that the Communions have been
made and have been well made. The grace promised is not
the grace of perseverance in good throughout life, nor
the reception of the last sacraments under every
hypothesis, but that perseverance which brings with it
penance, and the last sacraments so far as they are
necessary." This promise is addressed to sinners more
directly than to pious souls. The promise supposes that
the grace of making good Communions on nine successive
First Fridays is a gift reserved to the elect. If they
are in sin, they will repent before they die.
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