737 the sixth word of this Loricatus, who acquired no less renown for sanctity of life than for his teaching or his honors. Meanwhile, he reached the point, especially in his private life, where he inflicted upon himself — at different times of day and night — about fifteen thousand lashes that left incisions from iron combs and punctures from the barbed instrument. I also personally knew a certain man, the first Polish Piarist born in Poznań,112 who mortified his body in so extraordinary a manner that after his death it was noted that a wall in his cell was sprinkled with blood. Also, after awaking, he often very piously recited the entire Rosary with his arms outstretched. He read Sacred Scripture in no other way but on his knees. I never saw him laugh; he prayed constantly. He was much focused and extremely obedient. Nevertheless, even this steadfast lover of penance shuddered before the unfathomable judgments of God, as he was about to cross into the better life. Who can recount other examples [of such mortification]? It was aptly stated by a bard: “Compare the ancient scourges [with the modern ones]: You say that they are true, [then] our serious ones would be a joke.”113 Compare your penance, my Christian, with the penance of John,114 Paul,115 Anthony,116 Onuphrius117 and with so many other hermits; with the penance of Benedict,118 Francis,119 Dominic,120 Bernard,121 and so many others of our leaders; with the penance of Teresa of Avila,122 Catherine of Siena,123 Rosa of 112 St. Stanislaus is referring here to Kazimierz Bogatko († 1650), Piarist. 113 The author of this quotation is unknown. 114 Bl. John the Good (1169-1249). 115 St. Paul of Thebes (228-341). 116 St. Anthony († 356). 117 St. Onuphrius († ca. 400), hermit. 118 St. Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480-547), abbot, father of religious life in theWest. 119 St. Francis of Assisi (ca. 1181-1226). 120 St. Dominic (ca. 1170-1221), founder of the Dominicans. 121 St. Bernard of Clairvaux. 122 St. Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582), Carmelite. 123 St. Catherine of Siena.
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