[Scriptum compendiosum Psalterii intentionem declarans]

Soon, at the word of the holy man, the devil replied, saying: "It is true, I have mocked you and I will mock you, but I will deal otherwise with you, since I cannot overcome you in this way." And the holy man said: "Who are you?" "I am," he said, "Belial, given as a goad to your holiness. And if God is my helper, I will not fear what man will do to me." At night, wishing to return to his accustomed prayer, since the oratory was not open because the holy man had anticipated the matins hour, as he always used to do, he wished to enter the refectory where an image of the Crucified was depicted. In the light of the doorway, he was so strongly thrown down by Belial the devil that he barely remained in his body. Strengthening himself, however, in the name of the Crucified, he arose from the ground. When he wanted to proceed to pray, he was struck by blows and thrown to the ground again. At last, he was forced to depart from there, and he was vehemently struck by an angel of the place whom he found while entering. But God willing, the din of the demons fighting with the holy man in the refectory was heard. The brothers, awakened, came, and finding the blessed Nicholas thrown to the ground, they lifted him—for he was unable to stand—and carried him to the bed of the poor

where, strengthened by Christ, he immediately arose, supporting himself with a staff, and performing his accustomed prayers, he rendered thanks to the Savior. Therefore, because those praying sustain so many infestations, it is that among all good works, to pray is the most difficult. Whence it is read in the Vitas Patrum Lives of the Fathers that the brothers asked the Abbot Agathon, saying: "Father, what virtue in the religious life has the most labor?" And he said: "Believe me, because I do not think there is a labor like praying to God. For when a man wishes to pray to his God, the enemy demons always hasten to interrupt his prayer, knowing that they are hindered by no thing except by prayer alone to God. Indeed, for another labor that a man assumes when placed in his religious life, although he may act instantly and tolerably, he has and possesses some rest. Prayer, however, requires a great work of struggle until the final exhalation." And from there it is that at the beginning of all the canonical hours, diminishing ourselves with the sign of the cross against the infestations of the devil, we say: "O God, come to my assistance."