Lest You Remain

L EST Y OU R EMAIN W ITHOUT W ORK IN THE V INEYARD OF THE L ORD 114 and looking carefully, He found you and fed and gave you water and protection. But you, how many times have you abandoned such a good Shepherd through sin! ( Inspectio Cordis ) 19 If the Most Merciful Lord knocks at you heart so many times with holy inspi- rations, and encourages you to perform good deeds, if He touches you to wake up from the dream of your sins, and admonishes you to take the path of virtue follow- ing the Commandments, and to lead a life fully in the Spirit; and if you, so often, pretend you do not hear the word of God, do not realize it or do not understand His inspirations, or care nothing for them; you should know that you are in a very bad condition, close to the unhappy ending of your life and about to be drawn to ever- lasting condemnation by the evil spirits. Similarly miserable is your condition, when you listen reluctantly or pretend you are deaf, to the people who admonish you, and urge you to enter the true path of perfection, or you accept their admonitions and listen to their words, but in prac- tice, you do not do anything. Miserable is your condition, be it because of your pride or a very strong obstinacy of your will, (which is a true sign of human con- demnation) and the hardening of your heart. So, get up for action! Be obedient to God’s inspirations, accept advice, the admonitions and right orders of others, so that it does not turn out that the Blood of the Most Merciful Lord was shed for you in vain. You should desire Him, and beg that this Blood, in the present Holy Communion, be salvific and useful for you. ( Inspectio Cordis ) 20 Ask the merciful Savior to bring peace when He comes to the very unsettled home of your soul. Not the peace which would free you from any adversities or any cross at all: as it is better to be tried, than to remain still (even the waters which remain still start to rot), but the peace with which you could endure all setbacks generously and with a peaceful heart, so that you could receive from Him an olive wreath of peace in the Heavenly City of Jerusalem, because having participated in the fight, and having battled the demon, the world and the flesh, you will enjoy eternal peace. ( Inspectio Cordis )