examination of the heart 158 2) You should note that the demons lay snares for us, in which they try to catch us mainly when they see us idle, as if asleep. There is no other cause of any sin than idleness: for the infernal enemy, by the testimony of so many holy Fathers, fears to approach industrious people who diligently watch over their own progress. In fact, when we turn our mind away from honest and holy occupations, immediately our enemy throws into it the seed of bad thoughts, and this wicked infernal farmer sows for himself in the field of the heavenly Lord. Be on your guard against idleness, keep watch and follow the example of Anthony the Great, the model of ascetics,48 pray to the Lord in this Holy Communion that He may uproot all idleness from your heart and stir you to salutary works by the incentives of His love. [f.22v] 3. “then the weeds appeared also” (Mt 13:26). You should avoid small imperfections and even the smallest transgressions with the greatest diligence. Indeed, they are hard to notice while the infernal villain is sowing them. Yet, after you recognize and reflect on your more serious falls and a significant number of grave sins, you will understand that they originated by very small imperfections, committed out of carelessness. Then the weeds appear. You should imitate the farmers who eradicate the tares from their wheat or other crops, in order to prevent even more harmful weeds from attacking their fields. You should act likewise: Be on your guard against all small imperfections in order to ward off graver sins, and to eradicate those already existing. This will help keep your heart clean and your soul pure, and ensure that you do not commit evil deeds 48 It appears that St. Stanislaus is speaking here of St. Anthony the Great (250-356), “defined by St. Athanasius as the founder of asceticism”; cf. Scaduto, Mario, Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, Città del Vaticano 1948, p. 1534 (s.v. Antonio Abate). [Hereafter Enciclopedia Cattolica will be abbreviated as ECat.] Cf. Atanazy Wielki, Swięty Antoni — Żywot. Pisma ascetyczne, Trans. Ewa Wipszycka and Janina Dembska, Tyniec — Wydawnictwo Benedyktynow, Kraków 2005, pp. 79ff. (s.v. Żywot św. Antoniego). And thus, “his day is divided by work and prayer”: S. Atanasio, Vita di Antonio, Ed. Lisa Cremaschi, Edizioni Paoline, Roma 1984, pp. 51-52.
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