examination of the heart 354 most accurate explanations and elaborations according to the mind of God? He wished for God alone.166 Reflect, whether you too would obtain this reward justly. Even though you would be doing everything for the sake of the Lord, if you do it unworthy of the Lord, He shall not be your reward. [f.110v] 2. “cares nothing for the sheep” (Jn 10:13). Reflect, that God admits to His sheepfold both the hirelings and the true shepherds; but He will separate them on that day in which the goats will be separated from the lambs, the good from the bad, the righteous from the wicked, the elect from the reprobate (cf. Mt 25:32-46). Thus, should you be a hireling, He can also endure you among His sheep (that is, the religious). He is not, however, going to admit you with the true religious to the rewards and to the heavenly sheepfold, unless you completely shed off the moral nature of a hireling who is lukewarm, inconstant, negligent, and very imperfect. However, He still offers you a great favor by admitting you, unworthy and nearly His enemy, to the sacred table together with His friends. Make sure that you are not deceived by this generosity. The Lord grants many goods and gifts to many people, He calls to His banquet many people, disregarding their perverse and evil conduct; but later He shall judge them most strictly. I beg you: be careful and work diligently, lest both the religious state and the very frequent use of the Sacraments bring you, a hireling, to ruin. 166 St. Stanislaus is speaking here about St. Thomas Aquinas. Towards the end of St. Thomas’ life, when he “was at Salerno and was busied with the third part of his Summa[,] which deals with Christ’s passion and resurrection, a sacristan saw him at night kneeling before the altar in ecstasy. Then a voice, which seemed to come from the crucifix, said aloud: ‘You have written well of Me, Thomas; what reward would you receive from Me for your work?’ He answered, ‘Nothing but You, O Lord.’” BLS (s.v. March 7 — St. Thomas Aquinas). Cf. Guilielmo de Thoco, Vita S. Thomae Aquinatis — VII Martii, in: Acta Sanctorum Martii, Ed. Ioannes Bollandus, vol. 1, Victorem Palmé, Bibliopolam, Parisiis et Romæ 1865, p. 669 (Ch. VI, n. 35).
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