Preface

"The devil knows that he has lost the soul that perseveringly
practices mental prayer." - Saint Teresa of Avila

This little "Catechism" is a substantial summary of the book

Guide of the Man of Good Will in the Exercise of Mental
Prayer by the same author.

It is published with the view of aiding especially the young

in the proper understanding and practice of mental prayer. It
treats the subject with so much clearness and simplicity that
any person of good will cannot but study it with profit.

Although the book is intended alike for general and private

use, its present form and arrangement will render it
particularly serviceable as a textbook in novitiates,
preparatory seminaries, and other institutions where young
persons are initiated into the practices of a religious life.

May God abundantly bless this little work, and grant that it
may serve to render the practice of mental prayer both
profitable and easy. May the august Queen of Heaven, the
patroness of devout souls, look down with approval upon the
efforts of all who shall study its pages; may she herself teach
them the art of praying well, that they may gradually be
brought to an ever more perfect knowledge and love both of
herself and of her divine Son.

- Father L Beck, 1888

I - General Ideas
1. Nature of Mental Prayer
1. What is prayer?

Prayer is an elevation of our soul toward God to render

Him our homage.

2. How does the soul elevate itself toward God?

The soul elevates itself toward God by thinking of Him,

loving Him, and conversing with Him.

3. What kinds of homage should we render to God?

We should render to God four kinds of homage: We

should adore Him, beg His pardon for our sins, thank
Him for His benefits, and petition His graces.

4. How many kinds of prayer are there?

There are two kinds of prayer: vocal prayer and mental

prayer.

5. What is meant by vocal prayer?

By vocal prayer is meant every prayer performed by

means of a given formula.

6. Why are such prayers called vocal prayers?

They are so called because ordinarily the voice is used in

reciting them.

7. What is meant by mental prayer?

 By mental prayer is meant every prayer performed
without aid of any particular formula.

8. Why is this kind of prayer called mental prayer?

It is so called because it is made by the mind, generally

without any articulation of words.

9. What is mental prayer ordinarily called?

It is ordinarily called meditation.

10. In what does mental prayer essentially consist?

Mental prayer essentially consists in thinking of God or

of holy things, with the intention, at least virtual, of
rendering Him our homage. Thus every pious thought,
every pious desire, is a mental prayer.

11. Give a more complete definition of mental prayer.

Mental prayer is a pious communication of the soul with

God by means of considerations, affections, and
resolutions. Its object is to make us know, love, and
serve God better, and to promote the knowledge of
ourselves and the faithful discharge of our duties. In
practice, therefore, it is the art of becoming better.
2. Necessity and Excellence of Mental
Prayer
12. Is mental prayer necessary?

Mental prayer, in its essence, is necessary for every

Christian who wishes to be saved.

13. Demonstrate this necessity.

1. Every Christian is obliged to pray; it is impossible for

him to pray well without reflecting on what he says,
consequently, without meditating.

2. Without meditation, he does not know his wants, and

therefore does not think of praying. Thus, meditation is
as necessary for him as is prayer in general.

14. How else can you prove this necessity?

Without meditation, everything is done by routine; and,

by degrees, routine leads to thoughtlessness, spiritual
blindness, and insensibility. Hence, the Holy Ghost says:
"With desolation is all the land made desolate; because
there is none that considereth in the heart." (Jeremiah
12:11).

15. Is it a duty of state for a religious to practice mental

prayer?

Yes:

1. Because without mental prayer he cannot advance

toward perfection, for which he ought unceasingly to
strive.
 2. Because without mental prayer he will be much
exposed to losing his vocation, as is proved by
experience. Therefore, the founders of religious orders
and the masters of the spiritual life have made this holy
exercise a duly of slate for religious persons.

16. Has the religious who is devoted to an active life any

special reason for applying himself to mental prayer?

Yes:

1. Because mental prayer is the only means which can

efficaciously preserve him from the spirit of the world,
and keep up in him the spirit of faith.

2. Because the salvation of souls is above all the work of

grace, and grace is obtained principally by prayer.

3. Because Our Lord, Who came on earth to save

mankind, devoted far more time to prayer than to
preaching.

4. Because the Apostles freed themselves from all other

cares, in order to devote themselves exclusively to
prayer and to the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:4).

5. Because those evangelical laborers who gained the

most souls for God distinguished themselves by their
application to mental prayer.

17. Is mental prayer an exercise of any particular

excellence?

Yes, mental prayer is most excellent, not merely by

reason of its necessity, but also on account of its
 advantages, and because it is most honorable for us.

18. Name some of the advantages of mental prayer.

By the light and strength it imparts to us, mental prayer:

1. Keeps sin far from us and saves us from Hell.

2. Preserves us from lukewarmness, or cures us of it.

3. Is the common source of all virtues. It is thus the

shortest way of arriving at perfection, and the most
efficacious means of persevering in our vocation.

19. Why is mental prayer such a great honor for us?

Because in mental prayer we are admitted to the

audience, not of a prince, of an earthly ruler, but to that
of God Himself.
3. Facility of Mental Prayer
20. Is mental prayer easy?

Yes, mental prayer is easy, whether it be considered on

the part of God, or on the part of man.

21. Show that meditation is easy when considered on the

part of God.

Since meditation is necessary for everybody, God must

make its practice easy, because only easy things can be
performed by all men.

22. Show that mental prayer is easy when considered on the

part of man.

To make mental prayer means to recall to mind, with the

help of grace, some good thoughts, to make in all
simplicity acts of faith, hope, and charity, of confidence
and humility, of repentance and firm purpose of
amendment, of petition, etc. Who would affirm that this
is something difficult?

23. Does mental prayer not also offer some difficulties?

Mental prayer does offer some difficulties, as does every

work, and every struggle of virtue against vice.

24. Whence come these difficulties?

They come:

1. From the devil, who endeavors to keep us from this

holy exercise.
 2. From spiritual sloth, which deters us from efforts
which must be renewed, as it were, every day.

3. From discouragement, which we experience in finding

ourselves always combatting numerous faults and
defects, combined with a false persuasion that we
cannot correct ourselves of them.

4. From our sins, which pull our mind, heart and will
away from God and from prayer. It is not possible to
persevere in mental prayer and at the same time to
persist in sin, especially not in mortal sin.

25. What then is necessary to make mental prayer well?

It is necessary to have a sincere will, i.e., we must

earnestly apply ourselves to mental prayer, and
constantly beg this grace of God.

26. By what signs can we know that we make mental prayer

well?

The tree is known by its fruits; thus we can know what

our meditation is worth by its results.

27. What results does a good meditation produce?

It produces a greater fidelity to the duties of one's state,

especially a greater love for humility, the mother of all
virtues, for obedience, their guardian, and for charity,
their queen.
II - Preparation for Mental
Prayer
1. Remote or Habitual Preparation
28. How is mental prayer divided?

Mental prayer is divided into three parts:

1. The preparation.

2. The body of mental prayer.

3. The conclusion.

29. How can you justify this division?

Mental prayer is rightly compared to a divine audience;

there are certain things to be done and observed in
every audience. It is necessary:

1. Before the audience, to prepare for it.

2. During the audience, to employ the time thereof in a

proper manner.

3. To bring it to a suitable conclusion.

30. How many kinds of preparation are there?

There are three kinds of preparation: the remote or

habitual, the proximate, and the immediate.

31 In what does the habitual preparation for mental prayer

consist?

The habitual preparation consists in removing the

obstacles in our daily life that prevent us from
 meditating well, thus disposing ourselves favorably for
this holy exercise.

32. What are the chief obstacles that prevent us from

performing mental prayer well.

Dissipation and faults against silence, attachment to sin,

and slavery to the senses and passions.

33. What means should be taken to remove these obstacles?

The following:

1. Recollection and silence.

2. Purity of heart, which consists in abstaining from all

sin committed with full deliberation.

3. Exterior and interior mortification.

34. What are the principal acts of the remote preparation

that favor mental prayer?

The habitual remembrance of the presence of God,

purity of intention, and frequent recourse to ejaculatory
prayers.
2. Proximate Preparation
35. In what does the proximate preparation consist?

The proximate preparation consists principally:

1. In being recollected at the approach of meditation.

2. In foreseeing the subject of mental prayer, the

principal considerations, and the fruit that we wish to
derive from it.

36. Is the proximate preparation very necessary?

Yes, it is very necessary for two reasons:

1. Because we should be wanting in respect to God were

we to appear before Him without knowing the subject of
the interview we intend to have.

2. Because, without this preparation, we should be

exposed to being lost in the wanderings of our mind.

37. How should the subject of mental prayer be chosen?

The subject of mental prayer should be chosen in

accordance with the needs of our soul, the attractions of
grace, and the advice of our spiritual director.

38. Are there not certain subjects on which it is useful to

meditate repeatedly?

Yes, it is useful to meditate repeatedly on the great

truths of salvation, particularly on the last things of
 man, on the life and Passion of Our Lord, and on the
virtues and glories of the Most Blessed Virgin.

39. Is it useful to meditate repeatedly on the same subject?

Yes, it is useful to meditate repeatedly on those subjects

which impress us profoundly, and which inspire us with
strong resolutions.

40. Is it, then, not necessary to take the subject that is read
in the community?

Not absolutely; when the subject that is read in the

community is not fitting, we may choose another; in this
case it is generally of advantage to take a subject
already meditated upon.

41. When is the choice of the subject ordinarily made?

The choice of the subject for the morning meditation is

ordinarily made after the night prayers; for the evening
meditation it is made during some free moments of the
day, during a visit to the Most Blessed Sacrament, or at
the spiritual reading. The important thing is that each
one have a determined time to make this choice.

42. What else does the proximate preparation comprise?

The proximate preparation comprises also exactness as

to the hour and place of meditation.
3. Immediate Preparation
43. What does the immediate preparation comprise?

The immediate preparation, which may be called the

introduction to the divine audience, comprises:

1. The invocation to the Holy Ghost, to the Blessed

Virgin, and to our Guardian Angel, who acts as usher.

2. An act of faith in the presence of God and of union

with Our Lord.

3. Other acts derived from this act of faith, such as acts

of humility, confidence, contrition, etc.

44. Is the act of faith in the presence of God very important?

Yes, it is the most important act of the immediate

preparation; by neglecting it we should expose
ourselves to performing our meditation badly.

45. Is this act of faith very difficult?

No, because to make it well, nothing else is necessary

than to recall to mind the reality; for God is present
everywhere. No effort of the imagination is required. This
act of faith becomes especially easy in the presence of
the Blessed Sacrament.

46. Is this act of faith always made in the same manner?

No, it may vary according to the attributes we consider

in God, according to the state of our soul, and according
to the end we propose to ourselves in mental prayer.
47. In reference to what four attributes may we consider God
in mental prayer?

We may consider God:

1. As our Creator, in order to adore Him with profound

humility.

2. As our Savior and Judge, to ask pardon for our

offences.

3. As our Benefactor, to thank Him.

4. Above all, as our Father, to invoke Him with an

entirely filial confidence.

48. Is it necessary to make all the above mentioned acts at

every meditation?

No, we may dwell sometimes on one act, sometimes on

another, according to the attractions of grace; however,
we should never omit the act of faith in the presence of
God, nor the acts of adoration, humility, and confidence.

49. Must we always make use of memorized formulas when

making the acts?

It is advantageous to do so; but it would be better to

produce these acts spontaneously, if possible, and from
the bottom of our heart.

50. How long should these acts last?

Ordinarily they should last but a few minutes; however,

when the soul feels so inclined, they may be prolonged
even to the close of the exercise.
51. What posture should we assume during meditation?

It is proper to kneel when addressing God; but if this

posture becomes too fatiguing we may take another,
provided it be respectful.
III - Body of Mental Prayer
1. Principal Acts of the Body of
Mental Prayer
52. What is the body of mental prayer?

The body of mental prayer is the interview, properly so

called, of the soul with God.

53. How is this interview begun?

By summarily recalling to mind the object and end of

the audience, i.e., the subject of mental prayer and the
fruit we wish to draw from it; these are sometimes called
the first and the second prelude.

54. Is it useful to divide the subject into several points?

Yes, we can thus comprehend and retain it better than if

it were considered as a whole.

55. Must we adhere strictly to the division proposed in the

meditation books?

No, we may advantageously adopt another division

which might present itself to our mind as more
satisfactory, or which might be better adapted to the
fruit we wish to draw from the meditation.

56. How long should we dwell on each point?

As long as the soul can occupy itself usefully with it.

57. Must we meditate on all the points?

No, this is not necessary; we may dwell on only one

point, if this point suffices to occupy our soul during the
 entire exercise of meditation.

58. Which faculties of the soul are brought into activity

during mental prayer?

All the faculties of our soul may be brought into activity;

but it is customary to ascribe all the acts of mental
prayer to the intellect, the heart, and the will.

59. How are the acts of these three principal faculties

designated?

The acts which are produced during mental prayer by

the intellect, the heart, and the will, are respectively
termed considerations, affections, and resolutions.
2. Considerations
60. What is meant by considerations?

By considerations are meant pious reflections which the

mind, aided by the light of faith, produces during the
exercise of mental prayer.

61. What does it mean to meditate in the light of faith?

It means to make the truths of faith the rule of our

thoughts, judgments, appreciations, and determinations.

62. Why is it necessary to meditate especially in the light of

faith?

For two principal reasons:

1. Because faith alone can instruct us infallibly in the

things which are important for us to know.

2. Because the light of faith acts at the same time on the

intellect, the heart, and the will.

63. Should we, during meditation, neglect the light of

reason?

No, because reason is a natural gift with which God

favors us to show us our duty.

64. What is the end and purpose of the considerations?

The end we propose to ourselves in the considerations is

to know the subject on which we meditate, to penetrate
ourselves vividly with it, and to draw practical
conclusions from it.
65. Are the considerations, then, very important?

Yes, they are very important, because they produce in us

strong convictions, and consequently prepare the way
for good resolutions.

66. Can anybody make considerations?

Yes, because even the least cultivated mind can reflect.

67. Are the considerations always made in the same

manner?

No, they are made differently, according as the subject

of mental prayer is a truth, such as the doctrine that our
eternal destination must be either Heaven or Hell, or a
fact, such as Our Lord's death on the cross.

68. How should we proceed when the subject of meditation

is a truth?

1. We should direct our attention to the proposed truth.

2. We should endeavor to understand its meaning by

reflecting on the words, by distinguishing this truth from
others, by establishing comparisons, by deducing
consequences, by grasping the extent, the necessity,
and the advantages of the truth.

3. We should endeavor to discover the lessons which it

teaches.

69. What must we do when the truth becomes more evident

to our mind?

According as the truth becomes more evident to our

mind, we must repeat acts of faith like the following: "O
 my God, I believe this truth, but increase my faith;
penetrate me more deeply with it."

70. Is it useful to study the proposed truth also in the lives of

Our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, and of the saints?

Yes, this is very useful, because Our Lord is the Model of

all sanctity, and the Blessed Virgin and the saints are
the most faithful copies of this Divine Model. We may,
for instance, ask ourselves questions like the following:
"How did our Savior, the Blessed Virgin and the saints
think and act in respect to this truth?" "What difference
is there between their conduct and mine?"

71. What else must we do in order to render the proposed

truth practical?

We must examine what our conduct has been in the past

with regard to this truth, what it is at present, and what
it should be hereafter. Questions like the following may
be of use here:

"Do I adhere to this teaching?"

"Was it the rule of my appreciations and conduct in the

past?"

"Am I at present disposed to take it for the rule of my

conduct?"

"What would a lost soul do in this regard if it could come

back into life?"

"What would a saint advise me to do?"

"What would I like to have done at the hour of death?"

72. Is it useful to lay special stress on the motives which
should induce us to put into practice the maxim or truth on
which we meditate?

Yes, this is very useful, because the more deeply we are

penetrated with these motives, the more forcibly our will
is impelled to adopt energetic resolutions.

73. How should we proceed when the subject of mental

prayer is a fact?

1. We should, with our imagination, figure ourselves

beholding the scene, place, and persons of the fact,
listening to all that is said, and assisting at all that is
done.

2. We should endeavor to understand the meaning of all

we have heard and seen with our imagination.

3. We should endeavor to discover the lessons which the

fact teaches us.

74. What is the manner of meditating when the subject of

mental prayer is a virtue?

A virtue being no more than a truth put into practice,

the manner of meditating on a virtue is the same as that
of meditating on a truth.

75. What dangers must we avoid while making the

considerations?

Principally three:

1. Such an application of the mind as would make of

meditation a study rather than a prayer.
2. A search after sublime and purely theoretical
considerations.

3. Idleness, be it on account of discouragement, disgust,

fatigue, or any other cause.
3. Affections
76. What is meant by affections?

By affections are meant the good sentiments which the

heart feels during meditation, and which induce the will
to make good resolutions.

77. How many kinds of affections are there?

There are two kinds: spontaneous affections and

voluntary affections.

78. What are spontaneous affections?

Spontaneous affections are such as present themselves

without having been sought after.

79. What are voluntary affections?

Voluntary affections are such as are produced by

reflection.

80. Enumerate various kinds of affections.

1. Affections of humility, fear, regret, and gratitude.

These generally refer to the past.

2. Affections of fervor, love, and holy desire. These

generally refer to the present.

3. Affections of hope, confidence, submission to God's

holy will, and good promises. These generally refer to
the future.
 4. Affections of supplication. These may refer to the
past, the present, and the future.

81. What is meant more particularly by supplications?

By supplications are meant ejaculatory prayers and

petitions of all kinds which we address to God during
meditation.

82. May we address to God supplications on behalf of

others?

We not only may, but should do so: on behalf of the

Church, the society to which we belong, and those
persons whose interest we have at heart, such as the
members of our community, our pupils, our parents.

83. Must we endeavor to call forth indiscriminately all kinds

of affections?

No, it is advantageous to adhere to those with which

God inspires us, to those which relate to our necessities,
or which proceed naturally from the subject of the
meditation.

84. Can we always produce affections at will during

meditation?

Yes, we can, even in dryness and abandonment; for in

meditation the affections are ordinary desires, regrets,
petitions, and invocations, that is to say, acts in which
the will plays the greater part; and man is always master
of his will.

85. Should affections have a prominent place in meditation?

 Yes, affections, especially those of supplication, should
ordinarily occupy a large portion of the time of
meditation. Mental prayer is more the work of the heart
and will than of the head.

86. Mention an easy means of eliciting affections.

An easy means of eliciting affections consists in having

recourse to supplications, and in addressing ourselves to
God, to the Blessed Virgin, and to the saints, in the same
manner as we would speak to our father, to our mother,
or to our friends, if we were in their presence.

87. What should we think of certain sensible attractions

which we might sometimes experience during meditation?

Frequently they are graces and encouragements which

God gives us as a help to make mental prayer better;
but these attractions and consolations do not depend on
our will; besides, they are neither necessary nor
meritorious in themselves. We can make excellent
meditations without experiencing the least consolation.
(In this context, the word "sensible" means "of the
senses"; the phrase "sensible attractions" refers to
tender sentiments.)

88. Should we not even distrust certain sensible affections?

Yes, such are the affections which, proceeding from an

altogether too natural sensibility, do not result in good
resolutions. Affections of this kind easily lead to
illusions.
4. Resolutions
89. What is meant by resolutions?

By resolutions are meant firm purposes of the will to

avoid sin and practice virtue.

90. Are resolutions very important?

Yes, because they constitute the principal fruit of mental

prayer; without them this exercise would, for the most
part, remain sterile.

91. How can we succeed in making good resolutions?

By making pious considerations and holy affections;

these will naturally give rise to good resolutions; the
mind perceives what is good, the heart feels drawn
thereto, and finally the will, aided by grace, decides on
doing it.

92. Is it useful in meditation to devote some moments

exclusively to the resolutions?

Yes, although the resolutions are substantially implied in

the considerations and affections, and may have been
determined already in the course of the meditation, at
least in a general way, still it is useful and even
necessary to devote some moments exclusively to the
resolutions, in order to give them more force and
precision.

93. Are the resolutions not the effect also of grace?

Undoubtedly, since it is God who works in us not only

the good thoughts and pious affections, but also "to will
 and to accomplish, according to his good will."
{Philippians 2:13). In order to make good resolutions, we
must, therefore, multiply and fervently renew our
invocations to God, to Our Lord, to the Blessed Virgin,
and to our Guardian Angel.

94. Must we make the resolutions which we sometimes find

pointed out in meditation books?

No, this is not necessary; for such resolutions may not

always prove to be the most useful to us in our actual
condition.

95. What qualities should our resolutions have in order to be

really profitable?

In order to be really profitable, our resolutions should be:

1. Precise, not vague or general.

2. Practical, not theoretical.

3. Personal, i.e., relating to our duties, our wants, our

inclinations, and especially to our predominant passion.

4. Proximate, not for the distant future.

5. Firm.

6. Persevering, i.e., constantly renewed until a

satisfactory result is obtained.

96. Finally, to what general end should all our good

resolutions be directed?

They should be directed to the accomplishment of God's

holy will. It is in conforming our will to His adorable will
that we can attain true wisdom, perfection, and
happiness.
5. The Order and Connection of These
Acts
97. In what order are the considerations, affections, and
resolutions produced?

Ordinarily the order is the following: considerations,

affections, resolutions.

98. Must we always strictly adhere to this order?

No, for sometimes the affections present themselves

before the considerations, and the resolutions before the
affections; in such cases we must follow the movements
or inspirations of divine grace.

99. What important observation can be made on this point?

The observation that in mental prayer the

considerations, affections, and resolutions may either
follow one another, or intermingle in various ways. The
soul in its interview with God must be allowed to act
with perfect liberty and simplicity. It should dwell on
each of the different parts of mental prayer as long as it
feels itself so inclined-now dwelling longer on the
considerations, now insisting more on holy affections,
now devoting more time to practical resolutions. All this
depends on the movements of grace and on the
dispositions which animate the soul at the moment.

100. What different names are given to mental prayer

according to the predominance of the considerations, the
affections, or the resolutions?
Mental prayer is called prayer of meditation when the
considerations predominate; it is called affective prayer
or prayer of supplication when the affections
predominate; it is called prayer of conformity with God's
holy will when the resolutions predominate.
 IV - Conclusion of Mental
Prayer
101. What is meant by the conclusion of mental prayer?

By the conclusion of mental prayer is meant the acts

made before retiring from the divine audience.

102. What are these acts?

They are:

1. An act of thanksgiving for the favors obtained during

mental prayer.

2. An act of regret for the faults committed during

mental prayer.

3. Renewal of the firm purpose to avoid sin and practice

virtue.

4. The spiritual bouquet.

5. The colloquy.

6. The concluding vocal prayers.

103. What must we do if we have not yet determined our

resolution?

We must determine it at once, according to the

indications already given.
104. What is meant by the spiritual bouquet?

By the spiritual bouquet is meant a thought of faith or a

maxim taken from the Scriptures or from a saint, a
supplication which sums up and recalls to mind the good
sentiments and the resolutions of the meditation. We
should recall the spiritual bouquet often during the day.

105. What is meant by the colloquy?

By the colloquy is meant a parting word addressed to

God, to the Blessed Virgin, or to some saint, on the
subject and the purpose of the meditation.

106. Why is mental prayer terminated by some vocal

prayers?

In order to recommend to God, to Mary, and to our other

heavenly protectors the resolutions and fruits of this
exercise.

107. Against what must we be on our guard after

meditation?

After meditation we must be on our guard especially

against infractions of the rule of silence and against
dissipation.
 V - Examination of Mental
Prayer
108. Is it important to examine ourselves on the practice of
mental prayer?

Yes, if we wish to advance in this holy exercise.

109. On what points ought the examination to bear?

The examination ought to bear on all the parts of mental

prayer: on the preparation, the considerations, the
affections, the resolutions, and particularly on the
principal resolution; it is useful to look for the
predominant defect of our meditations and for the
causes thereof.

110. Must we examine ourselves every time on all the

above-mentioned points?

No, we should examine ourselves sometimes on one,

sometimes on another; the essential thing is to make a
short examination every day, and a more complete one
on certain days, as on Sundays, but especially on days
of retreat.

111. When is the daily examination of mental prayer to be

made?

It is to be made immediately after the meditation, or at

any other moment of the day, preferably at the
particular examen.
112. What would be advisable if we should have to reproach
ourselves for some negligence in meditation?

In this case it would be advisable to impose a penance

on ourselves, and to compensate for our negligence by
making a supplementary meditation of a few minutes
during some free moments.

113. What other means may be employed in order to

succeed in making mental prayer well?

Keeping an account of it, and submitting it regularly to

our spiritual director.
 VI - Mixed Mental Prayer
114. What is meant by mixed mental prayer?

By mixed mental prayer is meant mental prayer

combined with some other spiritual exercise, as with
vocal prayers, spiritual reading, Benediction of the
Blessed Sacrament, the Way of the Cross, the assistance
at an instruction or conference, Holy Mass, preparation
for Holy Communion, etc.

115. Mention some vocal prayers that may easily combine

with mental prayer.

The Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Apostles' Creed, the
Rosary, the Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Contrition,
the Mass prayers, etc.

116. Mention some spiritual books that may furnish matter

for mixed mental prayer.

The Holy Scriptures, especially the Psalms and the

Gospels, the Imitation of Christ, the Spiritual Combat,
etc.

117. How then is mixed mental prayer to be made?

1. The ordinary acts of the immediate preparation are

made.

2. The subject of the meditation is read or recited slowly,

entirely or partially, according to the subject chosen.

3. One point or idea after another is taken up.

 4. On each point the considerations, affections and
resolutions are made according to the method indicated
for the ordinary meditation.

118. Is this kind of mental prayer recommended?

It is earnestly recommended by Saint Francis de Sales,

Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Philip Neri, and, in
general, by the masters of the spiritual life.

119. When is it advisable to adopt this kind of mental

prayer?

When in the exercise of pure mental prayer we meet

with difficulties against which we have vainly
endeavored to struggle.

120. Against what danger must we be on our guard in the

exercise of mixed mental prayer?

Against the danger of changing the meditation into a

continued reading or into a mere empty recitation.

121. How may assistance at Benediction of the Blessed

Sacrament be combined with mental prayer?

This may be done by using as subjects the liturgical

chants and prayers referring to the Blessed Sacrament,
some chapter of the fourth book of the Imitation of
Christ, or one of the Visits to the Blessed Sacrament of
Saint Alphonsus Liguori. We must, however, begin by
placing ourselves in the presence of God sacramentally
exposed on the altar.

122. How may the Way of the Cross be performed by way of

meditation?
 This may be done easily by reflections and affections on
the sufferings of our Savior, since the Way of the Cross is
essentially a meditation on the Passion.

123. How may we attend an instruction by way of

meditation?

1. By evoking acts of adherence to the word of God

which is being taught.

2. By applying it to ourselves.

3. By producing appropriate affections.

4. By forming corresponding resolutions.

124. How may we assist at Holy Mass by way of meditation?

1. By uniting ourselves in mind and heart to Jesus Christ,

who is at once Priest and Victim.

2. By meditating on the four ends or purposes for which

the Sacrifice is offered, on God's holy presence, on the
ceremonies of the Mass, on the Passion of Our Lord
which these ceremonies call to mind, or on some prayer
of the Mass.

125. How may the preparation for Holy Communion be

combined with mental prayer?

1. By reflecting on the answers to the following

questions:

"Who is coming to me?"

"What is His object in coming to me?"

 "Who am I that I dare to receive Him?"

2. By producing affections that naturally flow from the

above-mentioned reflections, such as acts of faith,
admiration, humility, contrition, hope, desire, love, etc.

126. What ought we never to omit when making mixed

mental prayer?

We ought never to omit the essential acts of the

preparation and conclusion.
 VII - Difficulties
Encountered in Mental
Prayer
1. Distractions
127. What difficulties are frequently met with in mental
prayer?

Distractions, aridity, and illusions.

128. What is a distraction?

A distraction is a deviation of the soul from the object

which ought to occupy its attention.

129. How many kinds of distractions are there?

There are two kinds of distractions: voluntary and

involuntary.

130. When are distractions voluntary?

Distractions are voluntary:

1. Directly, or in themselves, when we do not endeavor

to banish them as soon as we perceive them.

2. Indirectly, or in their causes, when we do not

endeavor to remove the causes.

131. What are the chief causes of our distractions?

The chief causes of our distractions are:

1. Satan.

2. A want of preparation for meditation, especially of the

habitual preparation.
 3. The natural levity of our mind.

4. The multiplicity of our occupations.

132. Can we remove all these causes?

No, we cannot remove them wholly, but we must

struggle against them and endeavor to diminish their
sad effects.

133. Are there, then, unavoidable distractions?

Yes, there are distractions which are unavoidable;

therefore, we should not be surprised at distractions, still
less troubled or agitated; it suffices that we turn our
mind back to our prayer as soon as we become aware of
their presence.

134. Why does Satan endeavor to distract us during mental

prayer?

In order to make us lose the profit which he too well

knows we derive from this holy exercise, and, if possible,
to make us abandon it entirely.

135. When are distractions involuntary?

They are involuntary:

1. When we have not caused them.

2. When we are not aware of them.

3. When, being aware of them, we do not entertain them

freely.

136. Are involuntary distractions culpable?

 They are neither culpable nor even injurious.

137. How must we act with regard to distractions?

From the very beginning we must make up our mind to

meditate well; then, during the meditation, we must
drive from our mind every distraction as soon as we
perceive it.

138. What means may be employed to banish distractions?

We may:

1. Humble ourselves for these wanderings of our mind,

but without becoming troubled.

2. Recall to our mind the presence of God, of the Blessed

Virgin and of our Guardian Angel.

3. Gaze at an object capable of fixing our attention, like

the tabernacle, a crucifix, a pious picture, etc.

4. Ask God's help by ejaculatory prayers, and calmly

endeavor to take up the subject of meditation again
without ever becoming discouraged.

139. And if we were obliged to pass the entire time destined

for meditation in this way, would that be a reason for
becoming disheartened?

Not in the least; such a meditation, which Saint Francis

de Sales calls the meditation of patience, would not on
that account be less excellent.

140. Why is the meditation of patience good and

meritorious?
Because the sincere will to do what is required for
meditation is in itself already a good meditation, and
insures all the fruits thereof; besides, the greater our
efforts to overcome difficulties, the greater our merits.
2. Aridity
141. What is aridity?

Aridity is a state in which the soul finds itself unable to

produce the acts of meditation, on account of lack of
thought and sentiment.

142. How many kinds of aridity are there?

Two: voluntary (or culpable) aridity, and involuntary

aridity.

143. What are the ordinary causes of voluntary aridity?

The ordinary causes of voluntary aridity are:

1. Affection for sin.

2. Habitual dissipation of the mind.

3. Immortification of the passions, such as pride,

egotism, sensuality, and lack of simplicity.

144. How must we combat voluntary aridity?

We must combat it in its very causes.

145. What must be done when we suffer from involuntary

aridity?

Without permitting agitation or discouragement to lay

hold of us, we must simply remember God's presence
and try to make acts of faith, humility, confidence, and
love, but especially acts of humble supplication, which,
as we have seen, are always possible.
146. Can aridity, even when prolonged, prevent our
meditation from being excellent?

Not at all; the greatest saints have gone through this

painful ordeal.

147. What truths should we recall to mind while in the state

of aridity?

We should remember:

1. That virtue does not consist in tender affections, but

in serving God with courage.

2. That God tries by aridity more particularly those

whom He loves.

3. That aridity is a source of great spiritual profit.

148. Must we, then, never give way to discouragement?

No, discouragement would be dishonorable to God and

detrimental to our soul.
149. What are illusions?

Illusions are false ideas which Satan endeavors to plant

in our mind in order to make us eventually abandon
meditation.

150. Mention some illusions.

1. To believe that mental prayer is too difficult, and that

we shall never succeed in performing it well.

2. To believe that it is useless to apply ourselves to

mental prayer, since we do not make any progress in
virtue anyhow.

3. To judge of the value of our meditation by the

consolations or good sentiments we experience.

151. Show the falsity of the first illusion.

Mental prayer, as has already been said and proved, is

always possible and even easy for those who are
animated with a good will.

152. Show the falsity of the second illusion.

Meditation performed with a good will is necessarily

attended by progress in virtue, though the progress may
not be perceptible from day to day.

153. In order to make plain the falsity of the third illusion,

state by what we should judge of the value of our
meditations.

We should judge the value of our meditations especially

by the firm determination of our will to reform our lives,
 to be less selfish, to be more charitable, more
submissive to God's holy will, more obedient, more pure,
and more humble.

154. What benefits accrue to us from the difficulties of

meditation?

The difficulties of meditation contribute to maintain us

in humility, insure our progress in solid virtue, prevent
remissness and illusions, and increase our merits.
 Supplement
Following are some suggested prayers to enable the
beginner to prepare for mental prayer and also to make his
thanksgiving and resolution afterwards. When a person is
accustomed to the practice of mental prayer, these can be
replaced by prayers said extemporaneously from the heart,
but the general format of a) preparation, b) body, and c)
conclusion should always remain.
Acts of the Preparation
Invocation of the Holy Ghost

Come, Holy Ghost, have compassion on my poverty, in order

that, illuminated, moved, and guided by Thee, 1 may make
my prayer well. Come, enlighten my intellect, inflame my
heart, and convert my will, that my prayer may contribute to
Thy glory and to my own spiritual advancement.

Invocation of the Blessed Virgin

O Mary, my good and tender Mother, thou who didst

continually ponder in thy heart the words of Jesus, thou
whose life was uninterrupted prayer, assist me in acquitting
myself of this holy exercise in conformity with thy desire and
with that of thy Divine Son.

Invocation of the Guardian Angel

Angel Guardian, thou who beholdest unceasingly the

countenance of the Lord, thou who always standest in His
holy presence, faith teaches me that thou art given tome as
my light, my guide, and my helper; assist me, therefore, in
the interview that I am about to have with my God.

Act of Faith in the Presence of God

O my God, I firmly believe that Thou art here present. Thou

dost penetrate my whole being. I am before Thee as if I were
alone in this world. Thou dost see me, hear me, and know
my most secret thoughts.
(If the meditation is made before the Blessed Sacrament, the
following act is to be added.)

O my God, I believe that Thou art really present in the Most

Holy Sacrament, and that Thou dost actually direct toward
me from Thy tabernacle the same regard of tenderness
which Thou didst so mercifully cast upon Thy disciples, and
even upon sinners, during Thy mortal life.

Act of Adoration

Prostrate before Thy Infinite Majesty, I adore Thee, O my

God, as my Creator and the sovereign Lord of all things. I
acknowledge with delight Thy supreme dominion over me
and all creatures. Glory, honor, love, and submission be to
Thee, the King of Heaven, at all times and in all places!
During this audience I unite my adoration and homage with
those of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, of the
whole heavenly court, of the souls in Purgatory, of all the
faithful upon earth, and in particular with those of the
persons here present.

(If the meditation is made before the Blessed Sacrament, the

following act is to be added.)

I adore Thee, O Jesus, present in the Holy Eucharist. I

acknowledge Thee as my Savior and sovereign Lord. In
union with the angels and saints surrounding Thy throne of
mercy, I exclaim: "Praise and adoration be forever to Jesus in
the Most Holy Sacrament!"

Act of Humility

But who am I, O my God, that I dare to appear before Thee?

Thou art All and I am but nothingness and weakness. I have
nothing of my own but my infidelities. Without Thee I cannot
so much as conceive a good thought.

Act of Contrition

O Jesus, my Savior, who did die on the cross to atone for my

sins, I deplore my waywardness in the bitterness of my soul.
Have mercy on me and pardon my ingratitude; deign to
apply to my soul the merits of Thy holy Passion; grant that I
may resolve, in this meditation, never more to relapse into
sin, in order that I may obtain mercy on the day of
judgment.

Act of Thanksgiving

I thank Thee, O my God, for all the graces and benefits Thou
hast bestowed on me to this day. I thank Thee particularly
for my vocation, and for the singular favor Thou dost
presently grant me in admitting me to this celestial
audience.

Act of Confidence

O my God, Thou didst command me to call Thee by the

sweet name of Father; I come, therefore, O Father, to ask of
Thee, with the most childlike confidence, whatever is
necessary to converse worthily with Thee during this
meditation. Captivate my attention, enlighten my
understanding, inflame my heart, direct and strengthen my
will, that I may lose none of the fruits Thou dost intend to
bestow upon me during this holy exercise.

Act of Union with Our Lord

O my Savior, I wish to perform this holy exercise with the

intentions and dispositions Thou didst have when praying to
Thy heavenly Father during Thy mortal life, and which Thou
hast now while praying in our tabernacles. Thou art our
spiritual Head, and I am a member of Thy Mystical Body.
Meditate, I beseech Thee, through this member, however
unworthy it be; ask of Thy heavenly Father, through me and
for me, whatever is at this moment most necessary and
useful for my soul. Amen.
Acts of the Conclusion
Act of Thanksgiving

O my God, I thank Thee for the audience with which Thou

hast honored me. I thank Thee for all the inspirations and
good sentiments Thou hast imparted to me, and for all the
good resolutions Thou hast suggested to me.

Act of Regret

O my God, I ask Thy pardon for all the negligences of which I

have made myself guilty during this holy exercise. I
profoundly humble myself for them. Have mercy on me, O
my God, and do not permit that my carelessness may
deprive me of the graces Thy goodness had prepared for me.

Renewal of the Resolution

O my God, I renew with more determination than ever the

resolution to..., and in order to be faithful to it, I will adopt
the following means....

Spiritual Bouquet

For my spiritual bouquet I shall take these words.... I will

often repeat them during the day and especially on this or
that occasion....

Colloquy

O my God, bless again this resolution before I withdraw, that

I may always remain faithful to it. Dearest Virgin Mary, my
good and tender Mother, into thy hands I deposit the fruits
of this meditation, as also all my other spiritual goods.
Preserve and increase them, that thy child may become less
unworthy of thee. Saint N..., obtain for me the grace to be
faithful to my resolution. Dear Guardian Angel, remove far
from me every cause of dissipation, which would expose me
to lose the fruits of my meditation.

Vocal Prayer

(Here one should conclude the exercise of mental prayer

with vocal prayers of his own choice, recommending further
to God, to Mary, and to his other heavenly protectors the
resolutions and fruits of this exercise.)
A Choice of Subjects for Meditation
1. The doctrines on mental prayer as contained in this book.

2. The ordinary prayers of a Christian; and among these,

principally the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and, above all, the
Apostles Creed.

3. The hymn Veni Greator, the prose Veni Sancte Spiritus,

and the invocation Veni Sancte Spiritus! (Come, Holy
Ghost!).

4. The Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity, Contrition, oblation,

adoration, thanksgiving, etc., and the doxology (Glory Be to
the Father . . .).

5. The acts before and after Communion.

6. The Mass prayers.

7. The mysteries of our holy religion, particularly the

mysteries of the Holy Rosary, the other mysteries of the life
of our Savior, of the Blessed Virgin, of the saints, and above
all, the Passion, the Holy Eucharist, and the Sacred Heart.

8. The Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.

9. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin, the Ave Maris Stella, the
Magnificat, the Salve Regina, the Memorare, the Sub Tuum,
and the antiphons in honor of the Immaculate Conception.

10. The Litany of the Saints, particularly the invocations

which terminate it.

11. Holy Writ, particularly the Psalms and the Biblical

narratives, the Sermon on the Mount {Matthew 5:3-12), Our
Lord's discourse after the Last Supper {John 13-17), and the
parables, such as those of the Prodigal Son {Luke 15:11 -32)
and of the Pharisee and the Publican. {Luke 18:9-14).

12. The Following of Christ, The Spiritual Combat, the

writings of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, etc.

13. For priests, the ordination prayers in the Manual of

Ordinations.

14. For religious, the formula of their religious profession,

and their Rule.

15. For all, the prayers of the Ritual for the administration of
Baptism, Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and the prayers for
the agonizing; finally, the prayers for the dead, and the
Office of the Dead.
A Choice of Spiritual Bouquets
It will be noticed at a glance that the following aspirations
and texts may at the same time be used as subjects of
meditation. Fatigued or distracted minds will find them to be
a delightful spiritual symposium, if only they will take the
trouble of perusing them.

1. O Sacrament most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise

and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!

2. O sweetest Heart of Jesus, I implore that I may ever love

Thee more and more!

3. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto

Thine!

4. Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love!

5. My Jesus, mercy!

6. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give thee my heart and my soul!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony! Jesus,
Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with
thee!

7. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!

8. My Queen, my Mother, remember I am thine own; keep

me, guard me as thy property and thy possession.

9. Angel of God, my guardian dear,

To whom God's love commits me here,
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide!
10. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to thee!

11. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

12. Praised be Jesus, now and forever! Amen.

13. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved in every place!

14. Jesus, my God, I love Thee above all things!

15. My God and my All!

16. All for the greater honor and glory of God!

17. My sweetest Jesus, be not my Judge but my Savior!

18. All for Jesus!

19. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual
light shine upon them!

20. O Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee!

21. O Lord, teach us how to pray!

22. Lord, that I may see.

23. Thy will be done!

24. Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my

roof.

25. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.

26. My meat is to do the will of Him Who sent me.

27. Lord, that 1 may know Thee, that I may know myself!
28. Give us this day our daily bread.

29. Lord, increase our faith.

30. Faith removes mountains!

31. My delight is to be with the children of men.

32. Love one another as I have loved you.

33. Behold thy Mother!

34. Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

35. He that hopeth in the Lord shall not be confounded.

36. If God is for us, who can be against us?

37. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

38. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land.

39. The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!

40. Through many tribulations we must enter into the

kingdom of God.

41. Behold, now is the acceptable time!

42. I am the Good Shepherd.

43. He was subject to them.

44. Go to Joseph!

45. Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou
shalt return.
46. Judge not, that you may not be judged.

47. Obedience is the tomb of self-will.

48. Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.

49. My son, give Me thy heart.

50. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.

51. Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do

all to the glory of God.

52. My grace is sufficient for thee.

53. The crown is given to him who fights.

54. In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread.

55. God loveth a cheerful giver.

56. The life of man upon earth is a warfare.

57. If thou didst know the gift of God!

58. If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself.

59. He was wounded for our iniquities, He was bruised for

our sins.

60. Without Me you can do nothing.

61. In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt
never sin.

62. Time is worth as much as God.

63. Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

64. The obedient man shall speak of victory.

65. He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and

little.

66. The tongue is a world of iniquity.

67. God resisteth the proud, but to the humble He giveth

grace.

68. Remove self-will, and there will be no Hell.

69. Whom the Lord loveth He chastiseth.

70. Of what use will this be for my eternity?

71. I was born for greater things.

72. Bernard, why hast thou come hither?

73. Our conversation is in Heaven.

74. Serve ye the Lord with gladness.

75. Watch and pray.

76. What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and
suffer the loss of his own soul?

77. Come to Me, all ye who labor and are burdened, and I
will refresh you.

78. My yoke is sweet and My burden light.

79. Keep the Rule and the Rule will keep you.

80. Idleness hath taught much evil.

81. Prayer is the key to Heaven.

82. He who prays well, lives well.

83. Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee; I

am not now worthy to be called Thy son.

84. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render
an account for it in the day of judgment.

85. Knowledge puffeth up.

86. The kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence.

87. Hedge in thy ears with thorns, and hear not a wicked
tongue.

88. They that are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its
vices and concupiscences.

89. Pride is hateful before God and men.

90. The world is crucified to me and I to the world.

91. Humility is the mother and guardian of all virtues.

92. Everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he

that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

93. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

94. He that heareth you heareth Me, and he that despiseth

you despiseth Me.

95. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

96. I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.

97. As long as you did it to one of these My least brethren,
you did it to Me.

98. Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that
persecute and calumniate you.

99. The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad

countenance a backbiting tongue.

100. A servant of Mary shall not perish.

Questions for the Examination of
Mental Prayer
The following questions are intended for the daily
examination.

Remote Preparation

Was I watchful over my senses yesterday?

Was I interiorly recollected?

Did I keep silence?

Did I observe modesty?

Did I avoid sin and the occasions of sin?

Did I recite ejaculatory prayers?

Did I make my spiritual exercises conscientiously?

Proximate Preparation

Did I choose a subject for meditation?

Did I recall it while retiring and again after rising?

Was I attentive during the reading of the subject?

Immediate Preparation

Did I, and how did I, perform the acts of the immediate

preparation? the act of faith? the act of adoration? the act of
humility? the act of petition?
Was I penetrated with the thought of the presence of God?

Considerations

Did I apply myself seriously to them?

Did I make them in the light of faith?

Did I make the application to myself?

Affections

Did I make many and fervent affections?

Resolutions

Did I observe the resolution of my last meditation?

If not, what was the cause of my unfaithfulness?

Was my resolution precise, practical, and firm?

Conclusion

Did I, and how did I, perform the act of thanksgiving? the act
of contrition?

Did I choose a spiritual bouquet?

Did I give some attention to the colloquy?

Various Difficulties

Did I give way to discouragement on account of the

wanderings of my mind and the hardness of my heart,
instead of humbling myself, arming myself with patience,
confidently having recourse to God and the Most Holy
Virgin, and endeavoring to continue my meditation, if
necessary, with the aid of a book?

Were not dissipation and faults against silence the cause of

my distractions in meditation?

Did I experience aridity?

Was it not caused by venial sins deliberately committed? by

natural and disorderly affections? by immortification and
infidelities to the Rule?

After I found out the culpable causes of the faults committed

during meditation, did I impose a penance upon myself?

If I was drowsy, did I take means to overcome drowsiness?

Did I make the account of the last meditation?

Practical Remarks
1. Never make of your meditation a mere spiritual reading,
still less a study. The meditation is essentially a conversation
with God.

2. Never neglect, on whatever subject you meditate, to

make suitable applications to yourself.

3. If the meditation is preceded by a reading, the

considerations need not take up much time because they
are supposed to have been made already, to some extent at
least, during the reading; if that was the case, apply yourself
almost immediately to the affections, or, better still, make
the considerations in the form of affections.

4. Always give a very large place to the affections. The

affections really make of the meditation a mental prayer.
Affections of faith, petition, humility, thanksgiving, and love
should find a place in every meditation.

5. Make all the resolutions that are suggested by the

considerations and affections in the course of the
meditation. But toward the end of the meditation, select
from among the many, one special resolution, which shall be
the resolution properly so called, and give it all the required
qualifications.

6. As much as possible, make your meditation in the form of

a colloquy (to, rather than about, God and Our Lady).
Habitually keep your eyes on the tabernacle and converse
familiarly and lovingly with Him who is present therein on
purpose for you. Although the entire meditation, even the
considerations and resolutions, be made in the form of a
colloquy, there should, however, be among the acts of the
conclusion, a final colloquy, or the colloquy properly so
called, which consists in offering up to God, or to the
Blessed Virgin, or to some saint, the resolution for the
coming day, and in begging earnestly for the grace of being
faithful to it.

7. No one special method is obligatory for meditation. Thus

it is not necessary to make all the acts in every meditation,
nor to make them in their natural order, namely, the
considerations first, then the affections, and finally the
resolutions. Be perfectly free in this respect. Consult your
dispositions, your needs, the inspirations of grace and the
nature of the subject you are meditating upon, and do not
adhere too strictly to the method; the method is meant to be
a help, not a hindrance.

8. Always aim at what is practical. Be practical in making the

considerations by applying to yourself what you are
considering; theoretical considerations, however good in
themselves, fall short of spiritual profit, unless they are
made to enter the sphere of practical life. Be practical in
making the affections by giving the preference to such
affections as are more in harmony with the state of your
soul. Be practical, above all, in the choice of resolutions,
because principally upon the resolutions rests the task of
realizing the usefulness of meditation.

9. When, through serious indisposition of mind or body, you

find yourself incapable of applying yourself to regular
meditation, you may rest satisfied with reviewing
beforehand the different duties in which you are to be
employed during the day, considering how you can best
fulfill them in a manner pleasing to God and edifying to
others. You may also complain to God, as you would to your
spiritual director, of your inability to meditate, of your
miseries, which you may enumerate, and of your many
failures in the practice of virtue, thus humbling yourself and
realizing your own nothingness. If your inability to meditate
is so great that you cannot do even this, then at least look
respectfully toward the tabernacle and keep on saying in
your heart with a sincere conviction of your littleness and a
deep sentiment of humility: "My Jesus, mercy!" or some
other short aspiration. If you do this you shall have made a
good meditation.
A Final Reminder
1. Remember that meditation is the "art of becoming better."
Everything must be directed to this end: preparations,
considerations, applications, affections, resolutions. If
meditation is not considered from this standpoint, it will be
impossible to understand why the ascetic writers are so
enthusiastic over this exercise, why all religious founders
have given it such a prominent place in their Rules, and why
all good religious are scrupulously in earnest about its
performance.

2. Remember that meditation is a kind of daily retreat. As

during the annual retreat you examine and set aright what
was amiss in the preceding year, and provide yourself with
good purposes for the coming year; as on the day of the
monthly retreat you throw one glance back upon the past
month and another forward into the coming month; in like
manner, in your daily meditation, you look back upon the
past day in order to see how you spent it, and you look
forward into the present day in order to see how you can
make the best use of it for the glory of God and the welfare
of your soul.

3. Remember that to make a good meditation only one thing

is necessary: good will. Sublime views, nice expressions,
learning, even correct language, are not necessary. On the
other hand, distractions, aridity, drowsiness, fatigue, and
even disgust, are no hindrance to a good meditation when
there is GOOD WILL.
About This EBook
The text of this ebook is taken from the 1888 book
Catechism of Mental Prayer edited by Father L Beck, and
based on the larger book Guide of the Man of Good Will in
the Exercise of Mental Prayer by Father Joseph Simler. It has
the Imprimatur of Archbishop Henry Moeller, Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, Ohio.

The cover image is the 17th century oil painting Praying

Madonna by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato.

For more free ebooks, other material by prayer and other

devotions of the Church, or thousands of saints and beati,
come see us at -

CatholicSaints.Info
* or *

CatholicSaints.Mobi