CXXIII. Verba psalmi de inepia laetiiia.

CXXIII. Verba psalmi de inepia laetiiia.

As it is written: The sons of man deny their weapons to him, and their tongue is a sharp sword. The children of the flesh, who have arisen to satisfy the flesh in sin, have a certain hardness in their flesh like teeth, which is a stubbornness against the desire of the soul. For just as some people arm themselves against others to avoid being harmed, so the flesh, armed with a squalid joy, stubbornly and unjustly resists the will and joy of the soul, and it shoots forth malicious words against God and against the salvation of its own soul like poisonous arrows. For they turn reason, which is within them, to evil, and they sharpen it like a sword with infidel words, and by playing and joking, they elevate a certain elegance in which they show themselves to be refined, and thus they draw many to themselves, wounding their souls as they seduce them in this way. Those who do not fully cleanse themselves in this world will be examined more thoroughly after they have shed their bodies. But those who wish to lift their souls to God should keep themselves away from these vanities, and not allow themselves to be dangerously wounded by these vulnerabilities. They should repent of their sins while they can, because the souls of those who, while in this world, are doing penance but are not fully purified will be judged after death, stripped of their bodies, in the pains they have earned, as has been foretold. These words are about the souls of those who are repenting, concerning their purification and salvation; they are faithful words. Let the faithful pay attention to these and keep them in mind for good understanding. This section is about the second part concerning a man looking toward the west and the north. Words of the belly of the throat. The response of abstinence, III. Words of bitterness, IV. The response of true generosity. Words of impiety, VI. The response of piety. Words of deception. The answer of truth. Words of contention. The response of peace. ^ XI. Words of misfortune. The response of blessedness. Words of immoderation. The response of discretion. Words of the destruction of souls. The answer is for the salvation of souls. The words in the roar of the lion. Because God, opposing the darkness of diabolical snares, has brought forth all the instruments of the old and new Testament. That in the strength of the Son of God, there is a protection that has not yet been revealed to anyone. The mysteries that were hidden in the old prophecies are now being revealed by the teachers, and they won't stop doing this. To make known the secrets of the Old and New Testament, they should be exercised and presented to the faithful. The mysteries of the Old Testament prepare wise people against the Devil, and they won't stop doing this until they fill the hearts with their teachings. David did this for the same reason. Many before the Law, many under the Law, and many in baptism persevered, who through faithful works prepared a resting place for themselves in the dwelling of beatitude. What exists in the deeper joys of the souls of the perfected saints is such that they are separated from other people, just as angels are from humans. The souls of the saints desire their bodies to be restored to them, just as a hungry child asks his father for bread. Before the dead receive their bodies, the world will be shaken. Even though the works of the saints may differ, they still recognize each other as companions through the touch of the Holy Spirit. In the darkness of infidelity, the Devil proposes incongruous things to those who should serve God in peace. The ancient serpent, moving against the heavenly, wants to draw everyone into the place of destruction. Specifically about the hunger of the belly, its habits, and what it signifies. Specifically about bitterness, and its nature, and what it signifies. The prophet Isaiah speaks about this same matter. Specifically about wickedness, its habits, and what it signifies. Specifically about folly, its nature, and what it means. David speaks about the same matter. Specifically about contention and its nature, and what it signifies. It sets a limit, and sometimes kills a person, to whom it promises to be a defender. Also about certain purgatorial punishments of souls of some people who have sinned in this life with impiety, and why they endure these in this way. How do people cleanse their sins within themselves through repentance? Impiety, knowing the fear of God, brings forth curses in arrogance. David spoke about this matter. Regarding certain purgatorial punishments of souls of some people who have sinned in deception, both without an oath and with an oath, and how they may suffer the same. In what way do people commit the same sin, both without an oath and with an oath, while repenting in their own bodies? A fallacy does not agree with the truth; the deceitful are wrapped in lies and will be counted as nothing. Regarding certain purgatorial punishments of the souls of those people who have sinned in contention, both in actions and in words, whether with or without actions, and why they must endure the same punishments. How can people cleanse themselves of the same sin, which they have committed both in actions and in words, by repenting in themselves? Contention makes a restless heart; those who pursue quarrels imitate the devil. David speaks to the same matter. Also in Genesis, regarding the same matter. Also concerning certain purgatorial punishments of the souls of those people who believed they were born into misfortune, and in this they sinned, and why they suffer such things, LXXVII. In what way do people erase the same sin by repenting in their bodies? Those who think they are created for evil are mistaken, because human nature is good. Also regarding certain purifications of the torments of souls of those who have sinned in excess, and why they endure them in this way. How do people punish the same sin in their own bodies by repenting? Immoderation, when it seeks excess, will dissipate like dust. Regarding the destruction of the souls of those people who treated God as if He were not God, out of contempt, and thus condemned themselves to destruction, and why this is so. How can people save themselves from the Devil and destruction? When servants are allowed to know all the hidden things of their masters, they want to dominate over them. That a person understands God in the purity of faith, and casts away the diabolical illusions from himself. They explain the chapters of the second part.