Père Sylvain PÉRUSSAULT (1679/1773) Prêtre Jésuite et Prédicateur Français - Sur Pâques - 1725

-Father Sylvain PÉRUSSAULT (or Pérusseau) was a Jesuit priest and preacher who wrote many sermons

-He was confessor to the Dauphin and then to Louis XV from 1743 to 1753.

-Summary of the Sermon:

This manuscript (entitled “Easter”) is a spiritual and theological text centered on the mystery of Christ’s resurrection and its application to Christian life, particularly on the occasion of Easter and Communion.

Here are the main points of the text:

• The parallel between Christ’s death/resurrection and that of the soul: The author compares the state of the sinner to a corpse or a state of spiritual death. Just as Christ rose gloriously to conquer death, Christians must not be content with an outward “false resurrection” (such as going to confession superficially or performing ritual duties out of habit).
• The criticism of false converts: The author denounces those who observe their “Easter duties” and believe themselves reconciled with God while retaining their vices, worldly passions, vanity, hypocrisy, and disordered desires.
• The demand for profound conversion: A true spiritual resurrection requires fully renouncing sin, making a lasting change in one’s life, bearing the true marks of repentance, and walking in “newness of life,” guided by grace and charity.
• The example of the risen Christ: The text draws on Christ’s appearances to his disciples (particularly to prove that he is not merely a “ghost” or an illusion) to invite the reader to examine the sincerity of their own inner transformation and reject all pretenses.
The radical break with sin and the world: The author emphasizes that true spiritual resurrection requires distancing oneself from corrupt company, avoiding worldly associations, and definitively breaking with the sources of sin.
• The criticism of outward signs of conversion: He denounces those who believe themselves converted or “risen” simply because they perform a few outward religious duties (such as going to church or going to confession from time to time), while otherwise leading a life entirely devoted to earthly concerns and worldly vanities.
• The demand to live entirely for God: The author reminds readers that the life of the soul risen with Christ must be constant, persevering, and wholly consecrated to God, animated by grace and charity, and not limited to isolated moments or rituals.
. The unique nature of redemption and the gravity of relapse: Drawing on the Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian tradition, the author reminds readers that Christ died only once for all. Likewise, the grace of sincere conversion is granted only once; deliberately falling back into sin after having known the truth amounts to a grave spiritual danger and a betrayal like that of Esau.
• The criticism of the illusions of conversion: The author deplores the attitude of those who rely on a “false sense of security,” alternating between a few pious practices and new mortal sins, wrongly imagining that divine justice can accommodate their sins and earthly interests.
• The final call to persevere: The text concludes with an urgent exhortation to imitate Christ’s resurrection in a lasting way. The author warns that many are lost, and implores the reader to leave sin behind forever, live entirely for God, and persevere in holiness in the hope of eternal salvation.