examination of the heart 474 Wherefore it is also a right thing for you to do all good things, to endure all harsh things out of pure love for God, as did today’s Apostle; whose immense hardships, torments, and death were carried and soothed by the love of God alone. FOR THE COMMON OF AN EVANGELIST Before Holy Communion 1. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Lk 10:2). Consider that God is extremely angry with negligent laborers, because they see the great harvest and yet do not put their hands to it; namely, they give listless care to the salvation of souls and let the grain of the elect be snatched away by the evil spirits. Therefore, be convinced that you are admitted today to the table of the Lord for that reason, that you may labor more zealously and assiduously in the field of the Lord and not neglect any occasion of coming to the aid of your neighbor for his salvation. 2. “Carry no purse, no bag” (Lk 10:4). Consider that your purse and traveling bag are your own will and self-love. For as a purse and a traveling bag may contain many different things, so can your own will and immense selflove; indeed, they comprise all vices to such an extent that no imperfection, no defect, no fault, and finally, no sin proceed from anywhere else than from your own will and self-love. Therefore, when you go to the table of Jesus Christ, do not wish to carry this purse and traveling bag with you, but make a generous decision to lay them aside in such a way that you do not pick them up again. [f.153r] After Holy Communion 1. “salute no one on the road” (Lk 10:4). Consider that the Lord wants us sometimes to forget the usual rules of politeness, lest out of being polite we become worldly. Therefore, He forbids His disciples, who were to go into the whole world with the holy Gospel, to greet the people along the
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