Moved to Hope

(Crouching Woman by Pablo Picasso)

“God’s action in punishing sinners is inseparable from his action in drawing them to himself in mercy; the experience of the consequences of sin moves the person to fear greater suffering and so awakens in him the knowledge of his own sins and the desire for a different way of life, which in turn can move into hope in God’s forgiveness.”
~Gabriel Torretta

“It must be known that man frequently sins, and from this incurs the sentence of punishment; but because of the many works of the divine justice, man is moved to fear, and through the works of mercy is moved to hope, when he is converted to penitence and is healed; but if out of habit he is hardened in his sin and loses his understanding thereof, he has no hope of salvation.”
~St. Thomas Aquinas

Some were living in gloom and darkness, fettered in misery and irons for defying the orders of God, for scorning the advice of the Most High; who bent them double with hardship, to breaking point, with no one to help them. Then they called to Lord in their trouble and he rescued them from their sufferings; releasing them from gloom and darkness, shattering their chains. Let these thank the Lord for his love, for his marvels on behalf of men; breaking bronze gates open, he smashes iron bars (Psalm 107:10-16).