The road to hell is itself a living hell.

This was in the Mass readings yesterday. It is from Jeremiah who lived around 600 years before Christ was born. By now you'd think that I am over being surprised at how similar we are to the people from so long ago — but no. This could have been said today about Christians. We go after useless idols and turn our backs on God.

... you made my heritage loathsome.
The priests asked not,
“Where is the LORD?”
Those who dealt with the law knew me not:
the shepherds rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after useless idols.

Be amazed at this, O heavens,
and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD.
Two evils have my people done:
they have forsaken me, the source of living waters;
They have dug themselves cisterns,
broken cisterns, that hold no water.

I especially hit by the last statements God makes which point out that our sins submit us to a two-fold tragedy. We cut ourselves off from God who is the source of all joy and goodness. And we substitute empty things that lead to our ruin. These two comments from In Conversation with God drive the point home.

Sin means making a choice between nothing and the living water that springs up to eternal life. This is the greatest deception a man can fall prey to.

No wonder so many are unhappy without knowing what to do about it or maybe even realizing that they are unhappy. They are continually thirsty and nothing but God will suffice.

The solitude sin leaves in the soul should be enough to lead us away from it. The road to hell is itself a living hell.

As one who's been there, I can see how true this is.