Theological Foundations new file

68 Theological Foundations was already on His way to glory, and not to torture, He did reproach them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. In the first case, He took into account their human frailty and pusillanimity as they were running away from danger. Later He could not bear their obstinacy because they would not believe even those who had seen Him. He exhibits a similar attitude towards a sinner who continues to commit sins, even though he knows how much they offend Jesus. A sinner knows that he is doing wrong; he reads and hears that others have been condemned to eternal punishment because of much lighter sins, but he behaves as if he were asleep. He does not reform his ways when he hears the Savior’s call. And even when, because of the Lord’s mercy, he returns to the right path, he often strays again. This is the hardness of heart for which Jesus reproaches and which He can crush by sprinkling the sinner’s heart with His Blood. Therefore, we must convert and repent while we still have time and while the Savior is ready to grant us the grace to do so. He Himself is the source of grace and our salvation. The One who reproached His disciples for the hardness of their hearts, also brought them to the Heavenly Kingdom. 41 Jesus leads man to salvation in various ways, and our author knows these ways, too. Sometimes Jesus turns to man with reproach, at other times He sends His messengers, just as He had “sent two disciples” (Mt 21, 1) as He was approaching Jerusalem. These “messengers” are our various worries and crosses and their task is to train us in patience and mortification which, in turn, helps us to surrender our will to His will. Later He comes Himself and inspires us to do good by filling us with spiritual delight. This was the case with His disciples. Before His pas- sion, He taught them about resurrection in order to help them to control their grief and surrender everything to His will. 42 The One who sends us the crosses and worries to train us, can also free us from spiritual affliction and restore peace to our despondent hearts in but an instant. He does so when He sees that a heart is too fear- ful during various storms and too weak to withstand their violence. At such times He appears as the Prince of Peace. 43