Whoever, in the hope of repentance, allows himself to sin voluntarily and intentionally, acts deceitfully in relation to God. The sinner, voluntarily and deliberately, in the hope of repentance, is suddenly struck by death, and is not given the time that he intended to devote to virtue [86].

The sacrament of confession decisively cleanses all sins committed in word, deed, and thought. In order to erase from the heart the habits of sin, which have taken root in it over a long period of time, time is needed, a constant stay in repentance is needed. Constant repentance consists in constant contrition of the spirit, in the struggle with thoughts and sensations by which the sinful passion hidden in the heart reveals itself, in the bridling of the bodily senses and the belly, in humble prayer, in frequent confession.

Fraternity! Through voluntary sin we have lost holy chastity, inviolable not only to the work of sin, but also to the knowledge of evil, chastity, in the spiritual radiance of which we came into existence from the hands of the Creator. We have also lost the chastity that we received in the re-creation of Baptism; we have stained on the path of life with various sins our garments, whitened by the Redeemer. There is one more water left for us to wash, the water of repentance. What will happen to us when we neglect this ablution as well? We will have to stand before God with souls disfigured by sin, and He will look menacingly upon the defiled soul, condemn it to the fire of hell.

Wash yourselves, says God to sinners, and be clean, take away the wickedness from your souls before My eyes, cease from your wickedness. And come, and let us be stretched. What is the end of this judgment of God, the judgment of repentance, to which God constantly calls the sinner during his earthly life? When a person is aware of his sins, decides to sincerely repent and reform, then God decides His judgment on man with the following decision: "If you sin like scarlet, you will sin as white as snow; but if they be like scarlet, they will be whitened[87].

If a Christian neglects this last merciful calling of God, then God proclaims to him the final destruction. The goodness of God, says the Apostle, leads you to repentance [88]. God sees your sins: He looks long-suffering at the sins you commit under His eyes, at the chain of sins from which your whole life is formed; He awaits your repentance, and at the same time leaves to your free will the choice of your salvation or destruction. And you abuse the goodness and long-suffering of God! There is no correction in you! Your negligence increases! Your contempt for God and for your own eternal fate is growing stronger! Thou dost care only for the multiplication of thy sins, and add to former sins new and aggravated sins! Because of thy hardness and unrepentant heart, thou hast gathered for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and the revelation of God's righteous judgment, wherein some are recompensed according to his deeds; For those who seek eternal life through patience with good deeds, glory and honor, and incorruption; but those who in zeal resist the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and wrath. Eternal sorrow and eternal distress upon every soul of a man who does evil [89]. Amen.

The Vision of Christ

Do you want to see the Lord Jesus Christ? "Come and see," says His Apostle.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave the promise to remain with His disciples until the end of time [91]. He is with them: in the Holy Gospel and the Sacraments of the Church [92]. It is not for those who do not believe in the gospel: they do not see it, being blinded by unbelief.

Do you want to hear Christ? "He speaks to you in the Gospel. Do not despise His saving voice: turn away from a sinful life and listen attentively to the teaching of Christ, which is eternal life.

Do you want Christ to appear to you? He teaches you how to get it. If you have My commandments and keep them, that is to say, you will love Me: and he who loves I will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and I will appear to him Myself [93].

You have been adopted by God through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, you have entered into the closest unity with God through the Sacrament of Holy Communion: support adoption, maintain unity. Restore the purity and renewal brought about by Holy Baptism through repentance, and nourish unity with God by living according to the Gospel and, if possible, by frequent communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Be ye in me, and I in you,[94] said the Lord. If you keep My commandments, abide in My love. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him [96].

Guard yourself from daydreaming, which may imagine to you that you see the Lord Jesus Christ, that you touch Him, that you embrace Him. This is an empty game of pompous, proud conceit! This is pernicious self-deception! [97] Fulfill the commandments of the Lord, and in a miraculous way you will see the Lord in yourself, in your attributes. Thus did the holy Apostle Paul see the Lord in himself: he demanded this vision from Christians; those who did not have it, he called those who had not attained the state due to Christians.