Prayer should be humble. It is especially said: God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble (St. James iv. 6). And again: The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds, and he will not depart until the Most High behold (Ecclus. xxxv. 21). That is, the prayer of an humble soul penetrates the very heavens to the throne of God, and thence departs not until it has found favor in His sight: and however weighty may have been the sins of such a soul, its supplications shall not be rejected. For, A contrite and humbled heart, O Lord, thou wilt not despise (Ps. 1. 19). Thus, while the prayers of the proud Pharisee were disregarded, the simple ejaculation of the humble Publican, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner," brought him the priceless treasure of salvation. The end crowns the work, hence prayer should have the quality of perseverance. This our Blessed Redeemer has vouchsafed to inculcate upon us in the most affectionate and impressive manner, by the parable of the man who refused to give the loaves asked by his friend knocking at his door at midnight, until after the most importunate demands: Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth (Luke xi. 8); giving us to understand, that though the issue of our prayers appears not immediately, and is even put off for a season, yet we are not therefore to cease our supplications, but insist more earnestly. For (as St. Augustine says), if to be freed from importunity such a friend gave, even against his will, the loaves that were asked of him, how much more will the God of goodness, Who exhorts us to ask, and is offended when we do not ask, give what we seek from Him? It is a mournful and instructive truth, that many sinners are converted by divine grace, and obtain pardon of their sins; but because they omit to pray with perseverance for God's help to maintain them in the paths of virtue, they relapse into their former, or greater, sins, and "the last state of that man is worse than the first.' So ruch, therefore, being clear as to the excellence. efficacy, recessity, and conditions of prayer, we come now to the requisites which should immediately attend the Act of Prayer in the Christian. THE ACT OF PRAYER. Prayer is twofold, vocal and mental. Our present purpose is to treat of vocal prayer, though much that we say applies to both. Here take heed not to understand by vocal prayer that which needs only the lips to utter it. The heart and thoughts, the intention and understanding, must be in it, or it is in vain. Without this, prayer is as the chaff without grain, blossoms without fruit, the body without the soul. Wherefore, the use of words, rites, ceremonies, and forms, as kneeling, &c., to move the spirit, and bend it to the great work of prayer. Behold Abel and Cain, two brothers: God sees each of them offering unto Him, but according to the different spirit of each did He distinguish between their offerings, so that He is said to have had regard only to the sacrifice of Abel. § 1. BEFORE PRAYER, VOCAL OR MENTAL. Prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that tempts God (Ecclus. xviii. 23). 1. Setting aside all other business, choose such time and place as are most free from noise and distraction, and may give you power, without impediment, to attend upon our Lord (1 Cor. vii. 35). 2. Think seriously on what you are about to do. It is to God your creator, and the Almighty Lord of Heaven and earth, you are to speak; to offer Him praises; to lay before Him your wants and infirmities; to beg His help and graces. You, that are dust and ashes, are about to deal with the Most High. With what recollection, reverence, devotion, piety, and humility should you be filled in the presence of Infinite. Majesty! 3 Remember that you are about to pray to Him Who holds in abomination the formal prayers of the unrepenting sinner. Excite in yourself a hearty sorrow for your sins, and make a short Act of Contrition. 4. Propose to yourself some good intention, or, rather, many. Unite your prayers with those of the whole Church, for the greater glory of God, your own and your neighbor's salvation, the overcoming of some particular vice, the obtaining of some special grace or virtue. 5. Beg God's help to pray with devotion, attention, and profit. Resolve not wilfully to allow your mind to wander from your prayer, and if distractions arise, to resist and repulse them. § 2. DURING VOCAL PRAYER. Bearing in mind what has been already said of the conditions of prayer generally, the three great essentials of the Act of Prayer are Attention, Devotion, and Reverence. 1. Attention is the serious application of the mind to the meaning and object of the words, so as to understand perfectly what you read, and what you ask. This is to pray in understanding with the Apostle, 1 Cor. xiv. 15. For the procuring and securing of this attention, you should, 1. Deliver your words, not hastily, or indistinctly, but deliberately and fully; 2. Keep your mind free from idle fancies, vain curiosities, or worldly business, recalling your thoughts as ofter. as they wander, from earth to Heaven; to that end also keeping a guard upon your exterior senses, so that your eyes may not see, nor your ears hear, aught to the distraction of your soul; and, 3. Pause now and then to recollect yourself, and to renew your remembrance of the Divine Presence, if necessary, weighing the words and sentences, and considering what consolation and instruction may be therein. 2. Devotion consists in exciting and producing such feelings and affections as correspond win the sense of what you repeat. For example, in reading the Psalms your heart must keep pace with the Psalmist's words, as St. Augustine says: "By fearing where he fears; by loving where he loves; by praising where he praises; by sorrowing where he sorrows; by supplicating where he supplicates; by humbling yourself where he confesses his own nothingness, &c. Thus only can you pray in spirit with St. Paul, and not incur the heavy displeasure of God with those insincere and undevout prayers which He reproves, saying: "These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me'” (Isa. xxix. 13). 3. Reverence is, 1. Inwardly-that profound sense of the awful majesty of Him with Whom you speak in prayer, as shall take possession of your heart and soul; and, 2. Outwardly-such dress, posture, and comportment of the body as shall best correspond therewith, promote attention and devotion, and testify your subjection to Almighty God, and entire dependence on Him for every grace and favor you enjoy, even for the lightest breath you draw. Such was the prayer of the Publican, who, standing afar off, would not so much as lift his eyes towards Heaven; but knocked his breast, saying: "God be merciful to me, a sinner" (St. Luke xviii. 13). It is to be noted, however, that all such exterior carriage and actions are to be avoided as serve to distract others, or savor in yourself rather of conceit or singularity than of Devotion and Reverence. § 3. AFTER PRAYER. The end crowns the work of Prayer; the fruit whereof depends much on its beginning, more on its progress, and most on its conclusion: and therefore, Better is the end of Prayer than the beginning (Ecc. vii. 9). Be mindful, therefore, to conclude your prayers properly. Admitted by the King of kings to confer with Him on your own concerns, that being done, beware how you turn your back on Him, and depart without any sign of your reverence or gratitude. Therefore, examine with yourself the issue of your prayers. Grieve for their defects, and resolve to avoid them for the future: thon humbly offer them, how imperfect soever, to God, beseeching Him to accept them for the end or intention you proposed to yourself, in saying them in union with the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mother and all the Saints, through the abundant merits of Christ His Blessed Son. All this may be done very easily and briefly, according to the forms hereafter given. Conclusion.If we have sought at some length to niove the devout reader to a proper sense of the Excellence, Merits, and Requisite Conditions of Prayer, it is that he might not unprepared approach so great a subject. Suffice it now to say, that in this Book will be found a diversity of Prayers and Exercises proper to stir up pious affections, and the practice of all virtues. As in a banquet, various meats are set before the guests that each may take according to his tastes; so here this variety of prayers and devotions is adapted to the dif ferent inclinations of men, or the same at different times, each having a sweetness and savor of its own, and all answering to the varying inclinations or necessities of readers. Let each one take what he feels is fitted for him at the time, and use all to his own salvation and the greater glory of God; remembering, sometimes, if he should deem it worthy, to offer up a prayer for those that have bestowed some labor on this Book, were it but a single ejaculation to the Most High. A Prayer Which may be used with Profit before any Prayer, Meditation, or Pious Exercise. LMIGHTY and everlasting God, I, an unworthy sinner, but the work of Thy hands, come into Thy presence to praise Thee because Thou art my God, my Lord, my Creator, my Saviour, and my Preserver; Who alone, I know, canst bestow gifts profitable to my own and my neighbor's salvation, because Thou art su |