Lest You Remain

opportunities for them. All of this, to a large extent, opposes the love of God and gravely offends the infinite Goodness. As for the love of your brother, you should examine whether you have not been possessed by such vices as anger, grumbling, reluctance, jealousy, hatred, suspicion, disrespect, lack of gentleness and mercy, dis- trust, deceit, slander or even defamation of the deceased? Haven’t they ruled over you, when you unjustly accused others, or tolerated such situations, when you hideously held somebody up to ridicule, got irritated too soon, did not wish others well, did not rejoice in somebody’s success, did not help someone in need, did not offer relief in poverty, scorned or neglected showing due respect, did not tolerate other’s weaknesses, or did not pray for them? Maybe you envied what others pos- sessed by decree of Providence or talents bestowed by God, or maybe you destroyed or belittled them? Maybe you belittled or defamed not only the good opinion of oth- ers, but also of their deeds? Maybe you did not keep your word, or did not work for the Community? Maybe in a case of great danger which threatened somebody’s sal- vation, you did not even try to take to special measures to save your brother? 3. Consider that to upset someone, unjustly and with trifles, is against love. For example, when, for an important reason, you cause distress to your superiors, your equals or those lower than you, when you throw the entire Order into confusion, a province or a religious house where you stay, or make trouble yourself. Maybe you wound the eyes and souls of others, with a not fully religious and exemplary life and manners, and in this way, you violate—not to say—destroy, the tie of the most noble, most precious and most Godly virtue. Have you not been a cause of any confusion? Have you not violated the peace and the quiet inside a religious house or outside, among the lay people or people who belong to another class? Have you not neglect- ed in your work, sharing all that is good in you, what you obtained for that purpose, thanks to God’s grace and your resourcefulness? Or despite all your strength and abil- ities, have you not sought to avoid general harm, which threatened you? Maybe according to the number and quality of talents given to you by God and received by nature, you have not become a pride of the Order and the Religious House in which you stay, and the Church of God in particular, and you did not contribute to its devel- opment; not providing help when you should and could have done that? And while others were doing it, have you assisted them, or to the contrary, disturbed them? Meditating on the above mentioned and many other offenses against love which the Spirit of God brings your soul to realize its guilt, regret as deeply as you can, the real- ized transgressions, resolve to make up for them, and try to return to deeds of love. In your conversation with God, carried out with the greatest love, following your rea- son, delight in God and with this love, ease the feelings of your heart and awaken a double act of love for God and your brother. L EST Y OU R EMAIN W ITHOUT W ORK IN THE V INEYARD OF THE L ORD 62