Devotion of the day: the fear of God, a powerful brake

1. What it is. The fear of God is not an excessive fear of his scourges and his judgments; it is not always living in troubles for fear of Hell, for fear of not having been forgiven by God; the fear of God is the fulcrum of Religion, and is formed by the thought of the presence of God, by a filial fear of offending him, by a heartfelt duty to love him, to obey him, to adore him; only those who have religion possess it. Do you own it?

2. It is a powerful brake. The Holy Spirit calls it the principle of wisdom; in the frequent evils of life, in contradictions, in moments of adversity, who supports us against the stimuli of despair? Fear of God - In the terrible temptations of impurity, who keeps us from falling? The fear of God that one day held back the chaste Joseph and the demure Susanna. Who holds us back from theft, from hidden revenge? The fear of God. How many less sins if you had it!

3. Goods it produces. The fear of God by portraying us as God, a merciful Father for us, comforts us in tribulations, revives our trust in Divine Providence, sustains us with the hope of Heaven. The fear of God makes the soul religious, honest, charitable. The sinner is devoid of it, and therefore lives and dies badly. The righteous possess it; and what sacrifices, what heroism he is not capable of! Ask God never to lose it, rather to increase it in you.

PRACTICE. - Recite three Pater, Ave and Glory to the Holy Spirit, to obtain the gift of the fear of God.