261 part i: sunday meditations for the entire year listening to the suggestions of the flesh, or of the world and the cunning evil spirit; you take away from your soul the ornaments, namely the splendor of virtues, with which it was once endowed by God, its Bridegroom. Be on your guard, lest on that account you experience the gravity of divine judgment, and prepare your soul now, promising henceforth every possible obedience to right reason. 3. “every one who is angry with his brother” etc. (Mt 5:22). Secondly, consider that the word “brother” means any neighbor, [f.67v] but mostly those of the household of the faith (cf. Gal 6:10). Consider, therefore, whether you have one heart and one soul with all (cf. Acts 4:32); whether you are troublesome to someone; whether you blame or accuse somebody with more zeal than is appropriate. Consider why you interfere with someone else’s promotion; why you do not rejoice in the qualities and talents of others; why you are not favorable to their progress in perfection; why you are ill-disposed toward some; why you address them with stern and harsh words. Consider whether all this proceeds from a just zeal, or rather from an angry disposition, lest you be punished by a very severe verdict of the Judge, who comes to you today. After Holy Communion 1. “and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ ” (Mt 5:22). Consider how harmful it is to reflect upon the defects of others, or even more to magnify them, for this is not your concern at all. Oh, that you may never fulminate in words against others! But, noticing somebody’s imperfections, you should rather attribute them to yourself and say: he learned this evil from me; I used to fall into similar faults; I gave him evil example; this is my vice, not his; I perceive these things in me, not in my brother. Oh, what a great effort I should make, that I might correct these defects in myself, which are conspicuous to me in others! Oh, how most perverse, most ungrateful, most negligent am I of all creatures! O Lord, unless You help me, I will perish.
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