“And so we read in the lives of the holy fathers, of a blessed holy man that saw by revelation a very deep well, full of great and horrible flames of fire, and in the midst of them were the father, and the son, both of them manacled together, and cursing one an other, with great furious rage, and despite. The father said unto his son. Cursed be thou my son. For I to leave thee wealthy, and rich became an usurer, and for usury am I now here in hell damned. And the son said likewise unto his father: Cursed be thou my father, for that imagining to enrich me hast been the cause of my damnation: in that thou didst leave me evil gotten lands, and goods, and I for the wrongful keeping of them and not making due restitution to the right owners am here now alas damned everlastingly.”

Venerable Louis of Granada

The son was not dammed for receiving stolen lands and goods. He was damned because he did not make restitution for the sins of his father, which he had knowledge of. Consider the Judgements of Almighty God therein.

Divine Justice requires restitution for sins. Often we make this restitution through penance, prayer, or acts of Charity. Nevertheless, for sins wherein one holds something belonging to another, more specific restitution must be made. This is precisely why the sins of Slander, Detraction, and Calumny can be so grave: It is difficult to make reparation for the taking away of someone’s good name or reputation.

Unfortunately, in this our corrupt age, restitution is rarely made, especially when the wrongdoing has resulted in the financial loss of another person, whether through actual theft, usury, or even simply the transfer of owned property. And those that fail to make restitution, or councel others against the same, risk eternal damnation.

Discern well.

S.M.M.