Last rites declaration of Ioannes Paulus PP. II (Karol Wojtyla)
Ioannes Paulus PP. II
Nationalism, capitalism, and hoarding. The idea of every nation
should be forgot, price should be struck from the commons, and
princes should be seen for the devils they are. The sins include
our church, secret societies, and other religions which make of
the spirit of God a divide."
Last rites declaration of Ioannes Paulus PP. II (Karol Wojtyla)
2nd April 2005
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and fears concerning their condition.
They generally have an awful apprehension of the dreadful nature of a
false hope; and there has been observable in most a great caution, lest
in giving an account of their experiences, they should say too much, and
use too strong terms. Many, after they have related their experiences,
have been greatly afflicted with fears, lest they have played the
hypocrite, and used stronger terms than their case would fairly allow
of; and yet could not find how they could correct themselves.
I think the main ground of the doubts and fears that persons after their
conversion have been exercised with about their own state, has been,
that they have found so much corruption remaining in their hearts. At
first, their souls seem to be all alive, their hearts are fixed, and
their affections flowing; they seem to live quite above the world, and
meet with but little difficulty in religious exercises; and they are
ready to think it will always be so. Though they are truly abased under
a sense of their vileness, by reason of former acts of sin, yet they are
not then sufficiently sensible what corruption still remains in their
hearts; and therefore are surprised when they find that they begin to be
in dull and dead frames, troubled with wandering thoughts at the time of
public and private worship, and utterly unable to keep themselves from
them. When they find themselves unaffected, while yet there is the
greatest occasion to be affected; and when they feel worldly
dispositions working in them-pride, envy, stirrings of revenge, or some
ill spirit towards some person that has injured them, as well as other
workings of indwelling sin-their hearts are almost sunk with the
disappointment; and they are ready presently to think that they are mere
hypocrites.
They are ready to argue that, if God had indeed done such great things
for them, as they hoped, such ingratitude would be in