examination of the heart 278 to despise like the Pharisee or, what is worse, to condemn any man; even if he should be more wicked than Judas himself. Indeed, proclaim that the heart of God is open to all, and attest that the way to salvation is not inaccessible to any sinner as long as he is willing to repent. Do not believe that sinners are to be treated harshly, being always mindful of your own weaknesses and the Divine Goodness towards you. [f.75r] ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Before Holy Communion 1. “they bring to [H]im one deaf and dumb” (Mk 7:32) [DRB]. Consider that there are two great evils filled with the greatest unhappiness, namely: being deaf and dumb. Symbolically, disobedient and impious people are designated by these defects of mouth and ears. The king-psalmist says about them: “They have ears, but do not hear”; “they have mouths, but do not speak” (Ps 115:5-6). O what a great handicap is this deafness, I mean this disobedience, in a man who is a religious! What a great evil is this disadvantageous sealing of one’s mouth, the total lack of the practice of prayer! Since every religious community blossoms and survives for a long time thanks to these two things: the virtue of obedience and enthusiasm for prayer, who would not agree that a religious who neither obeys nor prays, would perish? Take care that you are neither dumb nor deaf in a similar manner. Hasten to Christ the Lord as soon as possible, that He may unbind your ears and tongue, that is to say, that He may grant you the virtue of obedience and the grace of piety. 2. “And taking him aside from the multitude” (Mk 7:33). Behold, here is an instruction for you about how to heal the defect of ears and mouth, that is, how to acquire the virtue of obedience and the grace of devotion: namely, by fleeing away from the crowd and loving solitude. Possibly, you are rebellious and lukewarm because you have dissipated your spirit in the
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