The Practice of Mental Prayer. Father Rene de Maumigny
that takes place, and so even our most secret thoughts. We are immersed in God a thousand times more thoroughly than fish in the sea or the body in the air. In Him,'' says St. Paul, we live and move and are." 1
The second method is to regard God as present in Heaven. God is everywhere and yet He is said to dwell in heaven, for there He works wonders such as He effects nowhere else. This placing of oneself in the presence of God by considering Him as present in heaven is an excellent method, in that it raises our hearts above earthly things and fits us for holding converse with Our Heavenly Father without distractions. Thus it was that David prayed: To Thee have I lifted up my eyes Who dwellest in heaven.''2 In 1 Acts 17: 28. 2 Ps. 122: 1.
PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER
the same way Isaias says: I will cry like a young swallow, I will meditate like a dove: My eyes are weakened looking upward." 1
It is the teaching of Our Lord, however, that especially shows the excellence of this practice, for He encourages us in our prayers to think of God as dwelling in heaven. "Thus shall you pray," he says, '''Our Father Who art in heaven;'" and adding example to precept, Jesus used to pray with his eyes raised to heaven. "These things Jesus spoke, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said: 'Father, the hour is come, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son may glorify Thee.' " 2
The third method is to consider God as present in our soul, where He dwells, not only as in the rest of the creation, but in a won- derful and special way. God is present by reason of His essence, power and knowledge even in irrational creatures, but He dwells in the soul of the just man as a friend and Father. So that, even if He withdrew Him- self from the brute creation, allowing it to relapse into nothingness—an impossible hypothesis—still he would remain in the soul of man imprisoned by His love. "If
1 Is. 38: 14. 2 John 17: I.
PRINCIPAL ACTS OF PRAYER
any man love me," says Our Lord, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him and We will make our abode with him." 1
This is the most perfect method of placing oneself in the presence of God for the purpose of prayer, which is an intimate conversation with God, and in course of which it is fitting that we should seek for Him in the sanctuary of our souls, where He dwells as a most devoted Friend, a most tender Father. This thought was particularly dear to the Saints, many of whom liked to think of God as handing over the government of the world to His Angels for a time, so as to belong to them wholly and entirely during their prayer; just as a king entrusts the manage- ment of the state to his ministers for a short space, so as to enjoy without restraint the pure pleasures of family life with his children. A most pious, touching and, at the same time, correct thought, for God gives Himself as entirely to the soul in prayer as if it alone, of all the universe, were in exist- ence.
The best method, however, for each individ- ual soul is to place itself in the presence of
1 John 14: 23.
PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER
God in that manner to which grace prompts it, and for this reason several different methods have been mentioned here. With- out doubt, that is a fortunate soul which God fills to the very depths with the exquisite sweetness of His presence—an unusual spir- itual consolation. Such a favor is not always granted, however, and then it is better to seek God elsewhere.
And lastly, the fourth method of placing oneself in the presence of God is to regard Him as present in the sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ, Our Lord. This method naturally suggests itself when the meditation is on the life and death of Our Lord, but especially when in presence of the most Blessed Sacrament.
PRINCIPAL ACTS OF PRAYER
CHAPTER III
SECOND PRELIMINARY ACT: ADORATION
ADORATION is an act of the virtue of religion by which we confess God's infinite perfection and consequently our absolute dependance. This virtue of religion is con- nected with the cardinal virtue of justice, and so we pay to God this supreme honor of adoration because it is just to do so.
The necessity for making an act of adora- tion at the very beginning of prayer is evident. The first act of a subject when admitted to the audience of an earthly king should be a profound inclination. For a much stronger reason ought we, when admitted to the presence of God, King of Heaven, and Lord of all things, to pay Him the respect and supreme honor which are His due. The homage of which God alone is worthy is called adoration.
Let us not seek to excuse ourselves from rendering this homage by saying that prayer is a familiar intercourse between God and the soul, like that of father with son, for neither
PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER
familiarity nor tender and affectionate inter- course dispenses a son from respecting the author of his being.
God exacts this homage from us when He tells us: The Lord thy God shalt thou adore and Him only shalt thou serve."1 And again: The son honoreth his father; if then I be a father, where is my honor?" 2
There is certainly a difference between adoring God and humbling ourselves before Him, the reason which bends us before His all powerful Majesty not being the same in both cases. In adoring God we confess our absolute dependence as the result of His infinite perfections, whilst in humbling ourselves before Him we make confession of our lowliness.
In prayer, however, there is practically no difference between adoration and self- humiliation, since in neither case do we separate the idea of God*s infinite Majesty from that of our extreme lowliness, but we attribute our absolute dependence to these two causes combined. Again, those Saints who have treated of prayer in their writings, when they speak of the necessity of adora-
1 Matth. 4: 10. 2 Mal. 1: 6.
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tion or self-humiliation at the beginning of the exercise, use the terms indifferently.
The soul may make its own choice as to the manner of adoration or self-humiliation: the act is essential, the method immaterial.
St. Ignatius advises us to humble our- selves by prostrating ourselves before God.1 copying our Lord's example when He commenced His prayer in the Garden by throwing Himself fiat on the ground: And going a little further, he fell on His face praying.''2 Other Saints thought the recita- tion of the Confiteor preferable; others again that of the "Miserere. "'
In short, whatever method is used, we should fill our souls with the same thought as Abraham, the privileged friend of God: I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes;"3 or, better still, imitate the humility of Our Lady, the most Blessed Virgin Mary, when she said: My soul doth magnify the Lord . . . because He hath regarded the humility of his hand- maid." 4
1 Spiritual Exercises, Addit. 3. 2 Matth. 26: 39.
2 Gen. 18: 27. 4 Luke 1: 46, 48.
PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER
CHAPTER IV
THIRD PRELIMINARY ACT: PETITION TO THE HOLY GHOST FOR GRACE
PRAYER is a supernatural work, essen- tially requiring the grace of the Holy Ghost. To obtain this, prayer is necessary.
The ignorant and uneducated may watch an earthly king from a distance, but a private audience is never granted to them; their mean condition prevents such a favor. For the same but yet stronger reason, we must be worthy of being admitted to the friendly audience granted by the King of Heaven. Since nature here has no power, it is most imperative that we beg for help from the Holy Ghost.
Prayer, again,