The joy experienced by those freed from slavery to sin
1 min • Digitized on January 29, 2022
From The Sinner’s Guide, page 194
By Venerable Louis of Granada
These are the principal sources of that marvellous liberty enjoyed by the just.
This liberty inspires us with a new knowledge of God and confirms us in the practice of virtue. This we learn from the prophet: “They shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have broken the bonds of their yoke, and shall have delivered them out of the hand of those that rule over them.”
St. Augustine, who experienced the power of this yoke, says: “I was bound by no other fetters than my own iron will, which was in the possession of the enemy. With this he held me fast. From it sprang evil desires, and in satisfying these evil desires I contracted a vicious habit. This habit was not resisted, and, increasing in strength as time passed, finally became a necessity, which reduced me to the most cruel servitude.” [“Conf.,” viii. 5.]
When a man who has long been oppressed by the bondage under which St. Augustine groaned turns to God, and sees his chains fall from him, his passions quelled, and the yoke which oppressed him lying at his feet, he cannot but recognize in his deliverance the power of God’s grace.
Filled with gratitude, he will cry out with the prophet: “Thou hast broken my bonds, O Lord! I will sacrifice to Thee a sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” [Ps. cxv. 7.]