examination of the heart 506 Nicephorus and he let slip from his hands the palm of martyrdom, which many men strive to obtain with such great effort and zeal, he assented to idolatry, fell, and denied the Savior. Alas! He was shipwrecked in the very port, because he broke the sail of charity by which his ship, that is, his soul, was rigged and driven! He lost the rope with which he was to tie his boat to the shore! The Lord withdrew from him the gift and grace of persevering in the tortures because he was not willing to forgive the servant and the brother for the sake of the Lord and the Father. He refused to forgive the brother, so pious and very humble, and to forget the offense imputed to him, although this brother entreated him humbly with many [f.166v] tears.246 Who can foretell, whether those last graces, which, like a gentle wind, are to bring your ship, that is your soul, to the port of the most blessed eternity, would not be withdrawn from you too, unless you surely repair the broken sail of charity? 3. You will not be wrong to believe that the man who has no charity has no virtue. Hollow and unfruitful is the teaching which charity does not impart. False and useless is the obedience that is not undertaken and practiced out of charity. Vain and deceitful is the humility mixed up with hatred. Frail and puffed up is the chastity without the companionship and protection of holy love. 246 Cf. Joseph-Marie Sauget, BS, vol. IX, Istituto Giovanni XXIII nella Pontificia Universita lateranense, Roma 1967, pp. 870-871 (s.v. Niceforo, santo, martire di Antiochia): “It is precisely in Antioch, in fact, … that the episode described as his passion takes place. Nicephorus had a friend, the priest Sapricius, who, through the wickedness of the devil, turned his friendship for him into hatred. When the persecution came, Sapricius was arrested and subjected to torments. Once Nicephorus, through an intermediary, asked for reconciliation, but the priest refused. When he was led to the torture, Nicephorus himself went to throw himself at the feet of the one who was to be martyred, but Sapricius was once again adamant, refusing to apply the precept of forgiveness for his enemies. The punishment was not to be long in coming, taking a more than shameful turn for him. Sapricius, in fact, deprived of God’s help, did not have the courage to face the final torture and begged the executioners to let him go free with the promise that he would sacrifice to the gods. Nicephorus who witnessed the scene presented himself to the executioners confessing his faith in Christ and died beheaded.” Cf. BLS (s.v. February 9 — St. Nicephorus, Martyr).
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