examination of the heart 182 freed him from the cruel devil, and from the pain of silence, and also from a pitiable and calamitous blindness. As for you, place yourself today before the Lord as someone mute, blind, and deceived by the evil spirit. Insofar as you are a mute, think [f.34r] how halfhearted and dry you are in prayer; indeed, you have no devotion at all. Insofar you are as a blind man; think how shamefully you err by following your own will and the dictates of your mind, and its diabolical manner of thinking. Think how greatly you lack the true divine spirit, when you willingly give yourself up to external matters, because you do not have yet the strong spirit of denying yourself and serving God, and because you transgress against God’s commandments in many things, virtues, and rules; and finally, because you do not undertake any religious (nor even Christian) action, and easily allow yourself to be deceived by the vile spirit and, once deceived, you fall more often and more gravely. Therefore, ask the Lord for these three things: light, that you may walk the true road of religious perfection; speech, that abounding in the ardor of devotion, you may persist in continuous prayer without distractions; finally, liberation from all the vile attacks of the evil spirit, which you are unable to resist, and from every irresistible temptation and every action contrary to a religious and holy life. 3. “Jesus was” (cf. Lk 11:14). This is the one whom you are going to approach and to receive; this is the Conqueror of the evil spirits, the Savior of the world, the Lord of Heaven, the Creator of the world, the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the future Judge of all mankind. Wherefore, approach and revere the majesty of so great a Lord with the fullest awareness. Do not get distracted by anything external; do not look behind or around; do not drool like a simpleton; do not get excited like a reckless person; do not fear as if distrustful of His goodness; do not be conceited as if presumptuous of mercy, but humbly, quietly, cheerfully, modestly, lovingly, and longingly wait for the Lord. Greet Him when He comes to you and let Him do in you everything according to His pleasure.
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