❧ THE DREADFUL STATE OF THE LUKEWARM SOUL
In speaking to you today, my dear brethren, of
the dreadful state of the lukewarm soul, my purpose is not to
paint for you a terrifying and despairing picture of the soul
which is living in mortal sin without even having the wish to
escape from this condition. That poor unfortunate creature can
but look forward to the wrath of God in the next life, Alas!
These sinners hear me; they know well of whom I am speaking
at this very moment. . . . We will go no further, for all that I
would wish to say would serve only to harden them more.
In speaking to you, my brethren, of the lukewarm soul, I do not wish, either, to speak of those who make neither their Easter duty nor their annual Confession. They know very well that in spite of all their prayers and their other good works they will be lost. Let us leave them in their blindness, since they want to remain that way. ...
Nor do I understand, brethren, by the lukewarm soul, that soul who would like to be worldly without ceasing to be a child of God. You will see such a one at one moment prostrate before God, his Savior and his Master, and the next moment similarly prostrate before the world, his idol. Poor blind creature, who gives one hand to God and the other to the world, so that he can call both to his aid, and promise his heart to each in turn! He loves God, or rather, he would like to love Him, but he would also like to please the world. Then, weary of wanting to give his allegiance to both, he ends by giving it to the world alone. This is an extraordinary life and one which offers so strange a spectacle that is hard to persuade oneself that it could be the life of one and the same person. I am going to show you this so clearly that perhaps many among you will be hurt by it. But that will matter little to me, for I am always going to
