Method of Mental Prayer
Method of Mental Prayer
CHAPTER I
2 It is so called
1. to distinguish it from vocal prayer
which is partly an activity of the body,
since it is produced by the mouth,
but at the same time is an activity of the mind
which should be involved in it.
3 2. It is called interior
because it is not simply an activity of the mind,
but of all the powers of the soul
and because,
in order to be genuine and effective,
it must take place in the depths of the soul,
that is to say,
in the innermost part of the soul
9 Therefore,
when we wish to apply our mind to mental prayer,
we must begin by withdrawing it entirely from attention
to exterior and material things
and by being attentive
only to spiritual and interior things.
And it is for this reason
that we must begin by being attentive to the presence of God
and that the acts of the first part
serve to maintain and occupy the mind with it
while these acts continue.
10 It is in this way
that the first part disposes us for mental prayer,
inasmuch as attention to the presence of God,
to which we are attentive
and which the acts of the first part
help to keep before our minds,
withdraws the mind from exterior things
to occupy it only with that object the attention to which is alone
capable of keeping the mind within itself
and thus rendering it interior.
17 First,
we can easily consider God present in the place where we are
by interiorly dwelling on the thought that David expressed
in the 138th Psalm:
27 He is in their midst
to unite them to one another
thus accomplishing by Himself
what He had asked His Father for them before His
death, through these words in St. John, Ch. 17:
Make them be one in us Jn 17,21
as You, my Father, and I are one, Jn 17,23
and make them complete in their unity,
in other words, that they may be so united and closely
bound together
having but one spirit, namely the Spirit of God,
that they may never be disunited. cf. Eph 4,3-6
34 The first is that all our actions will be referred to Jesus Christ
and will tend towards Him as towards their center.
They will draw all their efficacy from Him,
just as the branches of a vine
draw the sap from the vine itself, Jn 15,5
and thus, there is a continual movement
of our actions to Jesus Christ
and from Jesus Christ to us,
since He is the one who gives spirit and life to what
we do. cf. Ga 5,25
35 The second fruit is that we establish a close union with Jesus Christ
who lives in us
and in whom we live. Ga 2,20
as the Apostle Saint Paul so admirably describes.
It is because of this
that we can do nothing without Jesus,
as He himself says,
and that Jesus Christ does all in us
because He dwells in us
and we in Him;
and in this way, He tells us,
we shall bear much fruit. Jn 15,5
42 This idea should make us realize and hold for certain at the same time
that since we are of God’s family Ac 17,18
and live only because He imparts life to us,
we should manifest by all our conduct cf.Rm8,1-14;Ga5,13-25
that indeed we live by God’s life
and that we have only thoughts which fill us with God.
and have only slight esteem for all the things of
this world, cf. Co l3,1-2
according to what they are exteriorly.
And if we do have any esteem for them,
it should be for what they are in God’s sight.
For we should be firmly convinced
that God is in all things,
that all things are nothing
save in so far as God dwells in them
and as they are filled with Him. cf. Ws 11,21-12,1
43 From this it follows
that we wrong God dwelling in us
when we do anything that displeases Him,
when we make evil use of senses,
and when we seek
to satisfy ourselves
and not to satisfy God,
who is the only one in whom we should find
all our joy
and all our satisfaction,
since He deigns
to find His delight
and His joy
in sustaining us and preserving our being
through his present and continual dwelling in us.
c. Is it possible, O my God,
that, knowing that Thou dwellest within me
to preserve me in being,
I should make use of this being and of this life
you give me,
in order to offend you?
What, my God!
Thou dost act in me,
and I would act against Thee?
and I would use the activity
Thou inspirest in me and with me,
against Thee!
49 OR IN ANOTHER WAY:
50 Or again:
53 In this way
God guides all our interior tendencies
according to His good pleasure; cf. Ep 1-5
He curbs all our passions
and makes Himself so completely master of our senses cf. Rm 8,1-14;
that they seek out their proper objects Ga 5,13-25; Co 13-1-2
only when there is some need for doing so.
54 Furthermore,
when God has thus become the master of our heart
by the inner awareness that He gives us
by dwelling in us,
He lets
nothing of what which is within us
transpire outwardly;
all our exterior appearance is as it were in a state of
expectation,
with the result that our senses,
because of this continual inner awareness,
display hardly any further activity,
since the vital spirits which control them
are restrained within ourselves.
And as all our inner activity is deeply absorbed
by the Holy Presence of God
and by His in dwelling within us,
our soul comes to neglect and even to despise
all that is external,
and pays no attention to anything
except to what is taking place within it.
So it is that God rules fully over it,
as the author of the Imitation says
in Book 2, Chapter 1:
Learn to despise exterior things
and to give yourself to those that are interior;
and you will see
that the Kingdom of God will come
unto you. cf. Lk 17,21
59 This thought, that we are the temples of God and of His holy Spirit
should lead us to reflect seriously
that we are obliged to live in great holiness, cf. 2 Co. 6,16-18
and that we should
not only refrain from sullying our souls by any vice,
but we are also obliged cf. 2 Co 7,1
with particular care to adorn it with all sorts of virtues;
for the Holy Spirit
is well pleased only in souls which possess them.
This is why St. Lucia said
that chaste bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit.
60 God, who delights in such souls, cf. Mt 17,5
takes pleasure instructing them on the path which He
wishes them to follow
in order to be entirely His. Ps 25,4; 27,11; 86,11; 119-33
And, it is by His holy Spirit that they understand
says St. Paul
what is most hidden in God,
68 What respect, then, must He not require us to display in our Christian churches
which are places where we offer daily
and in many churches a great number of times,
the same Jesus Christ,
the Son of God and God himself,
and who, by His sacrifice,
consecrates and sanctifies these churches
with an external holiness of no small
degree, and causes them to share
in the sanctity of Jesus Christ,
through the offering and immolation
He makes of Himself whole and entire in His sacrifice. cf. He 10,10
70 The first is never to enter a church except in a state of great interior and exterior inno-
cence;
hence, before going in, we should purify ourselves both in soul and in body,
at least by making the sign of the cross with holy
water and by an act of contrition.
It is for this purpose that there is the custom
of putting holy water at the door of the churches.
b. And it is true
that Oza fell down dead because he had
touched the Ark, 2 S 6,7
(which was nothing but a wooden coffer),
with how much more reason
should I fear being struck by God
if I dare enter and remain in the church
which is the house of God, cf. Mt 21,13
when I am covered with sin,
for as David said,
holiness befits the house of God. Ps 93,5
81 4. It is a powerful means
of maintaining ourselves in the love of god
to remain attentive and respectful
before Our Lord present in the church;
for, since Jesus Christ
in His humanity
is an ardent furnace of love for His Father, cf. Lk 12,49
He can make us share in this love
while we are paying our homage
to His most sacred humanity in whose presence we are.
All the more, because Our Lord Jesus Christ
remains with us in this sacrament
to give us, as He says, life
in abundance Jn 10,10;6,33-59
and this life in abundance consists
according to Jesus Christ Himself,
in the knowledge and the perfect
love of God Jn 17,3; cf. Lk 10,22-28
83 OR IN ANOTHER MANNER:
CHAPTER III
85 Whereas,
if one allows the mind to make
a reflection on one manner, and then on a different
one,
the mind is taken up with different thoughts
and making different reflections
which have no connection with each other;
it remains in a sort of dissipated state,
and cannot succeed
in reflecting and thinking correctly.
And the soul by this manner of making reflections
loses its capacity for interior recollection.
90 The grasp that the mind has of it, and the attention it
pays to it
not only does not hinder
but does not even distract our attention
from the passage,
which, being of faith,
causes the mind to be imbued with this truth;
and the understanding it has of it becomes so clear
that it cannot help adoring it in God and outside
of God
as something that came forth the mouth of God cf. Mt 4,4
as it were, and according to our human way of
expressing ourselves.
96 This is how,
through attention to some passage of faith
joined with some reflection
we can gradually acquire a certain facility
for making ourselves aware of the presence of God
by simple attention.
103 Souls that have attained this state and have acquired these
dispositions no longer pay attention to creatures
save in so far as they are related to God,
and consequently no longer find anything lovable in them
except that which comes from God;
they can no longer separate the thought of these creatures
from the thought of God.
105 A person, for example, who does not know anything about
painting,
sees a beautiful picture,
but cannot judge correctly of its excellence and its
perfection,
(because that person does not know what this
excellence consists in,) or why the picture seems so
beautiful
in the eyes of those well-versed in painting.
116 This simple attention procures for the soul an inner consolation,
causing it to find delight and joy in this awareness of
the divine presence,
without any need,
in order to maintain this,
of combining it with any other thoughts or reflections.
We must insure
that our mind remains filled with the thought of God’s
presence as long as possible,
and we should not go on to any other subject
until we cannot pay attention
to this one any longer.
* This ends the explanation of the Preface; what follows is the explanation of the nine acts
of the First Part.
CHAPTER 4
125 Immediately after impressing the mind with the thought of the presence of God
by one of the six ways proposed above,
or by attention of the mind mixed with a few
reflections, or by simple attention,
it is fitting to make an act of faith
on this truth that God is present to us
according to the way that was used
to become imbued with this truth of faith.
126 And to make this act of faith more alive and more moving,
and to remain in this sentiment of faith for a longer time,
we can profitably call to mind
one of the passages spoken of above
or some other
that is related to the way according to which we will
have placed ourselves in the presence of God.
And when we notice
that the mind is distracted or is poorly attentive,
we can repeat the passage and once more pay attention,
in order to keep the mind
more fixed and more settled
on the presence of God.
c. In view of this
I must not allow in it any movement that does not
tend to Thee;
I must observe great restraint in the use of my
senses
out of respect for Thy holy present.
a. I believe, O my God,
that Thou art the treasure of my soul,
and that it enjoys the blessing of possessing Thee,
since St. Paul assures us that:
We are the temple of the living God,
who dwells in us
and converses with us. 2 Co 6,16
d. But here
you are in this place
sacrificed for us out of love,
and so Thou art there for us
a loving God, a God of goodness.
Thou art here to pour out open us
all the blessings of heaven, cf, Ep 1, 3-6
a. Is it possible, O my God,
that Thou shouldst be in all the places
where I go or where I am, Ps 139,7-10
without my thinking of this? Gn 28,16
d. What!
The presence of a king
makes us restrain all the movements of our body and soul,
so as not to perform a single action
except with circumspection,
because the prince in whose presence we are
deserves this consideration,
and we would dare to fail in this regard before God,
in whose presence we are at all time,
wherever we may be, and wherever we
may go! cf. Ps 139,7-10
b. I am Thy creature,
and as such I must recognize
in whatever place I may be
Thine infinite greatness Jb 40,10
and Thy sovereign majesty. Si 13,13
I should abase myself profoundly
in the sight of Thy infinite perfections.
and of that which is within Thee
that our minds cannot comprehend
because we cannot understand
what Thou truly art
and the excellence
of Thy divine Essence. cf. 1 Co 2, 6-16
148 The third act to be made in the first part of mental prayer
is an act of thanksgiving,
(because after acknowledging God’s infinite greatness,)
and paying Him the homage
due Him because of His excellence
and our dependence on Him,
it is only right
that we should recall to mind the goodness He shows and has always
shown us,
and that we should offer Him our very humble thanks,
and in particular
for having created us, cf. Col 1,15-20; Rm 6,22
redeemed us
and delivered us from our countless sins,
for having protected us from the occasions of committing them
again,
and from the wickedness of the world cf. Jn 17,15
by bringing us into the community,
and for the innumerable graces
He has bestowed on us
from the moment of our existence
especially for the grace He is giving us at this very moment,
of maintaining us in His holy presence,
and allowing us to converse with Him in mental prayer.
b. Thanks to Thee
I have been redeemed
and delivered from my many
sins; cf. Col 1, 15-20; Rm 6,22
and it is Thee that hast withdrawn
from all the occasions of sin which I might have
encountered,
and in which I might have committed many more sins.
by withdrawing me from the world. cf. Jn 17,15
(give me the grace,) O my God, I beg of Thee,
never to forget
so great a favor,
that I may thank Thee for it every moment of my life.
CHAPTER 5
a. What am I, O my God?
I, who of myself, (possess)
only nothingness and sin; cf. Rm 7,14; Ga 6,3
that is all I can rightly claim as my own.
If an ancient hermit said to himself.
What can you glory in,
since you are nothing but dust
and ashes? Gn 18,27; Jb 30,19
what reason can I have to exalt myself,
convinced as I am that it would be paying me too much
honor to call me dust and ashes,
for dust and ashes
are the work of God;
and thus they do not belong to me
but rather they belong entirely to God who made
them.
Thus the only thing I can claim is nothingness;
that is all there is in me except for what God has
done,
and all that I rightly own is sin.
c. And yet,
what a great honor Thou payest me
by keeping me in Thy presence
and doing me the favor
of conversing with me. cf. 2 Co 6,16
Thou dost act thus so that,
since I am nothing of myself,
I may be wholly lost in Thee,
and that Thou mayest be totally in me.
#2 ACT OF REMORSE
a. I recognize, O my God,
how grievously I have offended Thee!
and my sins
are always vividly before my mind,
for it is against Thee that I have sinned,
and I have done so in Thy presence,
still more, I was conceived in sin, Ps 51,5-7
and this gives me continually
a reason to feel remorse.
#3 ACT OF CONTRITION
e. I am ready, O my God,
to accept all the sufferings it will please Thee to make
me endure
to satisfy for my sins.
Do not abandon me, then, I beg of Thee,
and depart not from me. Ps 38,22
Turn away Thine eyes only from my sins,
and give me the grace to be purified of them
all. For this purpose, create in me a pure
heart,
(and renew within me Thy Holy Spirit. Ps 51,1-2
CHAPTER 6
167 Yet, even though by this act our sins are hidden from God’s
sight, cf. Ps 85,3;78,38
and because of the efficacy of the merits of Our Lord
which are applied to us,
God no longer remembers our sinfulness, cf. Is 43,25;
however,
there remains for us the obligation of making satisfaction
for them,
for the merits of the passion and death of our Lord
are applied to us
to bring about in us the destruction of sin,
but only on condition
that we fully and entirely satisfy
the punishment due to them. Jr 31,34
This is why
it is only right that we should not be content
with making an act of application of Our Lord’s merits;
but we must also make
an act of union with Our Lord,
uniting ourselves to His interior dispositions
when He made mental prayer,
begging Him cf. He 4,14-18
to come and make mental prayer in us, cf. He 5,1-10
and to present our needs to His Father,
considering us as belonging to Him
and as His very members 1 Co 12,27
which have and can have
no interior life, movement or activity
but in Him, Ac 17,27
for these things exist in those who belong to Him
only in so far as He gives life to them.
168 And they must be convinced that if Our Lord deigns in His
goodness
to unite Himself to them in mental prayer
and to make mental prayer in them,
their mental prayer will be most agreeable to the
Eternal Father
(and will draw down on them a great many
graces. cf. He 10,1-18
169 This is how we may make this act of union with Our Lord.
It can happen
that we might not remain in this disposition for very long
because of the distractions
that might fill our minds during mental prayer,
or because of the natural thoughts and human considerations
we might not draw much benefit from it.
So, it would seem to be appropriate for us
to implore Our Lord to give us His Spirit,
so that we may make mental prayer solely under His
guidance,
and in order to be filled by His divine Spirit
we need to abandon
our own mind and our own thoughts,
and to entertain within ourselves during mental prayer
only those which the Holy Spirit may be pleased
to inspire us with and to give us during this time.
a. My Savior Jesus,
Thou didst pour forth Thy divine Spirit on the holy
Apostles
(while they prayed in the
Cenacle) cf. Ac 1,14;2,1-2
where they had received Thy sacred Body
from Thy blessed hands.
173 Such persons should select those which they think proper,
or which they find useful for themselves.
If they cannot make use of these,
they should make
other acts based on the ones offered here as models,
according as their minds and hearts may suggest.
CHAPTER 7
181 Each one of them has a spirit proper and special to itself,
because Our Lord therein practiced certain virtues
which are especially evident,
and which we observe in a special way with admiration
and astonishment
when we pay serious and deep attention,
Our Lord practiced these virtues
to give us an example,
and to lead us to practice them in imitation of Him,
with the help of the grace
which He merited for us,
and which is attached to the mystery
as being part of the spirit and of the act itself.
186 We may make nine acts in the second part of mental prayer,
all referring to the mystery which we are considering.
CHAPTER 8
a. Yes, my God,
I believe that Thou didst become a little child
out of love for me.
Thou wast born in a stable, cf. Lk 2,7
in darkest night. cf. Ws 18,14-15
in the depths of winter.
Thou didst lie cf. Lk 2,7
on straw and hay.
I believe, O my Lord,
all these truths which faith teaches me
about Thy love for me.
How We May Address the Most Blessed Virgin While Making Mental Prayer on this Same
Mystery
194 We may also address ourselves to the most blessed Virgin while considering
this mystery, somewhat in this manner:
a. O most blessed Virgin, I firmly believe
that Jesus Our Lord,
the only Son of God the Father,
was conceived in thy womb
by the power of the Holy Spirit. cf. Lk 1,35; Mt 1,20
I believe this because faith teaches me so.
It was in thee
that He merited for us the grace
of becoming the adopted children of God His
Father. Rm 8,15;
We hope to enjoy Ga 4,6; Jn 1,12
through thy intercession,
with your very dear Son
the effects of this grace and the spirit of children of
God.
200 How To Address Our Lord by Considering Him Born into This World to Destroy Sin
What, Lord!
Shall I restore in myself
what Thou didst come to destroy
with so much suffering and pain?
b. My sins, O Lord,
reduced Thee to this state
of infancy, in poverty and humiliation.
My sins
made Thee shed so many tears
from the moment of Thy birth.
It was my pride
and my love of luxury and vanity
that humbled Thee
to the point of being born in a stable,
lying in a manger Lk 2,7
on a bed of straw between two lowly animals.
201 Confidence
e. O God of love,
let me love Thee with all the love
that Thou Thyself desirest
that I should love thee.
Lord, may I live
and may I die
in Thy love
and for Thy love.
For let us therefore love Him
(exclaims your beloved disciple)
because He has first loved us. 1 Jn 4,19
(first Epistle, Ch. 4)
203 In the same way we can spend time considering the other benefits that can be
derived from this mystery.
#2 ACT OF ADORATION
a. Humbly prostrate
before Thy crib,
O most holy and adorable Child Jesus,
I offer Thee my deepest expression of respect,
and recognize Thee for the God of majesty
dwelling in heaven 1 Tm 6,16
in light inaccessible
as St. Paul says.
c. O great God!
O tiny babe!
I adore Thee with all my heart.
I adore Thine infinite greatness,
contained in the small body of this infant,
yet not ceasing
to fill and to encompass the entire
universe cf. Wis 1,7
215 Another way of adoring Our Lord as a child in the arms of His Mother.
#3 ACT OF THANKSGIVING
CHAPTER 7
#1 AN ACT OF REMORSE
220 We make an act of remorse
by acknowledging before God how ashamed we are
for not having sufficiently exercised ourselves up to
the present
in acquiring the spirit of the mystery;
which is to conduct ourselves
with the simplicity, docility, and submission cf. Ep 6,5;
that becomes a child of God, Col 3,22; 3,12;
and to despise Mt 18,3
riches, pleasure, and worldly honors,
preferring to them
poverty, suffering, contempt, cf. Lk 6,20-26
in imitation of Our Lord in His birth.
#2 ACT OF CONTRITION
222 When the act of remorse has been made with sincerity and
thoroughness,
it disposes us to make a good act of contrition.
which is very appropriate at this point,
to beg God’s pardon for the faults we committed
against the spirit of the mystery.
For the future, we should resolve to be more faithful
in embracing this spirit and in conforming to it.
b. O my God
I am deeply grieved and contrite
for my conduct which is not very Christian.
#3 ACT OF APPLICATION
c. But, my God,
why hast Thou stooped to such singular depths?
Ah, I am able to understand by Thy grace,
O my loving savior,
it was to teach me by Thy example
to humble myself, to obey
with the simplicity, docility cf Eph 6,5;42
and submission of a small
child Col 3,22;3,12; Mt 18,3
all those whom Thou has given me
to lead me.
If Thou hadst merely wished
only to save me
Thou didst not need
to go to such lengths;
Thy incarnation itself would have been more than
enough.
But Thou didst wish to teach me by Thy conduct
how to humble and subject myself,
even as Thou Thyself hadst done.
d. I seem to hear
Thy heavenly Father telling me,
while pointing to Thy adorable person,
abased and annihilated under the form of an
infant: cf Ph 2,6-8
Amen, I say to you,
unless you be converted
and become like this little Child,
you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Mt 18,3
O my God, I am convinced of this truth,
that if I wish
to share in Thy glory in heaven
I must make myself
like unto Thee on earth. cf Rom 8,17
a. My God,
to profit
by the grace of Thy holy birth,
and to imitate
the holy examples Thou there gavest me,
b. I shall today
accuse myself of my faults
with all possible simplicity;
I shall obey those under whose authority I am,
in all things, blindly, without reflecting on anything
other than that I must obey
like our savior Child Jesus. cf Lk 2,51
If I were commanded to do such or such a thing,
I fear I should then experience great distaste,
But, most holy infant God,
for Thy love
and to imitate Thee
I am resolved to obey.
I shall give an account of my conscience
without dissimulation;
I shall reveal all that goes on within me
with simplicity and candor,
as a small infant,
in Thy honor, O divine Infant.
c. Perhaps today
something shall be taken away from me or exchanged.
It seems that I would be disturbed
If I were deprived of certain things.
My God,
in honor of Thy poverty,
I resign myself to this;
and if it does happen to me
I shall bless Thee and rejoice over it.
It seems to me that I am attached to certain things,
well, then,
for Thy love’s sake, and in imitation of Thee
I shall make this known,
so that, if it is thought proper
they may be taken from me or exchanged.
For I prefer
to be poor and in want of everything
with Thee, O my God,
rather than rich
without Thee.
I shall pray that I may be put to the test in all
these things,
where I am sensitive
and I shall reveal which these are.
CHAPTER 10
#2 ACT OF PETITION
241 In the same way our holy Guardian Angel and our holy Patrons of
baptism and religious profession
will take interest in us in a special way,
since we have been placed under their special
protection, and recommended to their care by God.
b. I beg of you
by the joy with which
you gave glory to God on high
and to His incarnate son, Lk 2,14
and in inviting men
to go and pay Him their due homage
when you announced to them the good
news Lk 2,16-17
of His blessed birth.
To ask God and His beloved Son cf Mt 3,17;17,5
to grant me the favor of sharing
in the spirit and the grace of this mystery,
according to the multitude of Their
mercies. cf Eph 1,1-23
247 We can turn our attention in the second part on some particular
virtue, making it the subject or our silent prayer.
CHAPTER 11
252 The second way of convincing ourselves of the need for this
virtue is to make some reflections on the virtue itself,
which persuade the mind our need of practicing it.
The reflection should be based on what is said of the virtue
in Holy Scripture,
and especially in the New Testament.
254 Or again,
Lord, how happy are the humble,
since it is to such
Thou grantest Thy grace. Jas 4,6
255 Or again,
My God, Thou are the friend of the humble;
how strongly this should incite me to become such.
CHAPTER 12
#1 AN ACT OF FAITH
a. My divine Master,
Thou commandest me to learn of Thee Mt 11,29
how to be meek and humble of heart, Mt 23,12
to humble myself, to abase myself voluntarily
before God and before men.
Thou dost not command me to learn of Thee
how to make miracles,
how to raise the dead, and so on,
because such things are not necessary
in order to be agreeable to Thee.
But it is absolutely necessary for me to be humble.
This is what I must learn of Thee,
who wert infinitely humble
although Thou wert
the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
269 The benefit and the effect produced by this type of mental
prayer,
when we engage in it according to God,
is that it draws the soul sweetly and gently to practice the virtue,
(and leaves us with a supernatural impression and
inclination towards the virtue.)
This leads us
to embrace it with ardor,
overcoming courageously the difficulties and
repugnances
that nature may present.
We embrace with affection the occasions
which arise for practicing the virtue;
we find joy in so doing
and experience a great interior satisfaction
on these occasions.
270 We may make use of any of the three manners of developing our
thoughts
adapting them to the acts which follow,
according to the devotion we feel (and to our dispositions.)
#2 ACT OF ADORATION
b. I acknowledge Thee
despite the abjection of Thy position,
as my sovereign Lord and God,
on whom I depend in everything cf Jn 20,28
as well as all creatures in heaven and on earth.
#3 ACT OF THANKSGIVING
CHAPTER 13
#1 AN ACT OF REMORSE
#2 ACT OF CONTRITION
#3 ACT OF APPLICATION
b. Besides this, the example that Thou dost give me, Lord,
should also impress me deeply.
What! the Lord of angels and of men
kneels before His own poor creatures,
washes their feet covered with dust and mud,
and wipes them, cf Jn 13,1-16
thus performing the task of a slave!
Why didst Thou do it, Lord?
to teach me what I should do.
h. Today
I shall ask to be given the most lowly tasks.
I feel a great repugnance for such and such...;
if I were ordered to do it
I should feel deeply humiliated;
if I were assigned to such or such a task,
or if I were commanded to perform
such or such a penance or mortification
I should feel a great repugnance.
My God, for Thy holy love
I shall request to be tried in these ways,
so that by this means I may become truly humble.
CHAPTER 14
#2 ACT OF PETITION
291 Invocation of St. Michael, the Guardian Angel and the Saints in heaven
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
#2 ACT OF ADORATION
#3 ACT OF THANKSGIVING
CHAPTER 17
#2 ACT OF CONTRITION
314 We make an act of contrition
by begging God’s pardon for the faults we have committed
against the spirit of the maxim,
and we take a resolution to be more faithful in the future
to follow the spirit of the maxim.
#3 ACT OF APPLICATION
d. I understand, O my God,
that if I lose my soul I lose everything,
and if I save it, I gain everything.
Consequently, I do not want ever to prefer anything to my
salvation.
f. If my eagerness
to procure the material welfare of the house
leads me to busy myself with these concerns,
without an absolute necessity
and without the sanction of holy obedience,
while neglecting my spiritual reading, my mental prayer,
etc.
g. or if greed incites
me to accept anything
from my students or their parents
against Rules and my vows,
I shall arm myself with the thought:
What profit would it be for me to gain the whole
world if I then lose my soul? Mt 16,26
CHAPTER 18
#2 ACT OF PETITION
NOTICE
325 As both the first and the second parts of the Method of
Mental Prayer contain nine acts,
this great number might hinder those
who wish to apply themselves in the second part,
and who find the time too short to do so.
Here are some suggestions to help them.
326 1) Make the acts of the first part in abridged form and in few
words without spending more than a brief time on them.
For example, the act of faith in the presence of God;
My God, Thou art present within me as in Thy
temple!
after which we remain for a moment recollected and
attentive to God present in us.
Act of adoration:
My God, I adore Thee!
then we adore God for about the time of an Our Father
adoring God interiorly and with respect.
Act of thanksgiving:
My God, I thank Thee!
then we dwell on this sentiment of gratitude for about
the same length of time.
And so on for the other acts.
330 5) Finally,
When we feel ourselves interiorly and gently drawn
to some sentiment which we had not proposed to ourselves
beforehand,
like the love of God
or the desire to show Him our confidence and submission,
or to ask Him for something
with earnestness and confidence,
either for ourselves or for someone else,
or reflect on some word of God
we should follow this attraction and other similar ones
according to God, faith, and the perfection of our state.
We should follow it, I say, for as long as God is
pleased to let us dwell on it,
(for this is a sign that God desires this of us
at the moment.
We can know this is the case
when we leave mental prayer with renewed zeal
for doing our duty
for the love of God, and to please Him.
331 This second part can also be used to make mental prayer
on the Last Ends,
on sins,
and on one of the commandments, etc.
ACT OF REVIEW
ACT OF THANKSGIVING
ACT OF OFFERING
339 We conclude our mental prayer by placing all that we have done,
thought of and resolved under the protection of the Most Blessed
Virgin,
so that she may offer it to her beloved Son,
and so that by this means we may obtain from Him the
graces we need
(to practice the virtue or the maxim on
which we have made mental prayer.)
FOREWORD
This translation is based on the text of the Explanation of the Method of Mental Prayer, as pub-
lished in 1989, in the Cahiers Lasalliens 50, by Miguel Campos, FSC and Michel Sauvage, FSC.
The text is the complete text of the 1739 edition of the Explanation of the Method of Mental
Prayer, published in 1963 in the Cahiers Lasalliens 14, but put into a format which makes this
difficult text easier to read.
The typographical arrangement makes clearer the distinction between St. John Baptist de La
Salle’s explanation of the method of mental prayer and the models of prayer he proposed. Also,
the scriptural references, explicit and implicit, are more easily identified. The authors of Cahiers
Lasalliens 50 also indicate in the margin biblical passages that could clarify the text.
This is a revised translation by Bro. Donald Mouton, FSC based on an earlier translation by Bro.
Richard Arnandez, FSC. Bro. Cyril Ory, FSC assisted in a part of this revision.
For convenience, the “Method of Mental Prayer”, as found in the Collection, is included.
May 7, 1991
This web edition attempts to follow the format of the Cahiers Lasalliens 50 by Miguel Campos,
FSC and Michel Sauvage, FSC. For printing purposes, a combination of the American “letter”
size paper and the European A4 was used so that it will be printable on either sizes of paper.
Contents
EXPLANATION OF THE METHOD OF MENTAL PRAYER .............................................. 1
CHAPTER I .................................................................................................................................. 1
OF MENTAL PRAYER IN GENERAL AND OF THE DISPOSITION OF THE SOUL FOR
MENTAL PRAYER ................................................................................................................ 1
CHAPTER II ................................................................................................................................. 4
AN EXPLANATION OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF PLACING OURSELVES IN THE
PRESENCE OF GOD ............................................................................................................ 4
#1 THE FIRST WAY OF PUTTING OURSELVES IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE
PLACE WHERE WE ARE BY CONSIDERING GOD PRESENT EVERYWHERE .... 4
#2 . THE SECOND WAY OF PLACING ONESELF IN GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE IN THE
PLACE WHERE WE ARE BY CONSIDERING OUR LORD AS PRESENT IN THE
MIDST OF THOSE GATHERED TOGETHER IN HIS NAME ...................................... 7
#3 FIRST WAY OF CONSIDERING GOD PRESENT WITHIN OURSELVES AS EXIST-
ING ONLY IN HIM .............................................................................................................. 10
49 ........................................................................................................... OR IN ANOTHER WAY:
13
#4 SECOND WAY OF CONSIDERING GOD WITHIN US: THROUGH HIS GRACE
AND HIS SPIRIT ................................................................................................................. 14
63 ..........A WAY OF BEING ENGAGED IN MENTAL PRAYER BY CONSIDERING GOD
WITHIN US AS IN HIS TEMPLE ..................................................................................... 18
#5 THE FIRST WAY OF PLACING ONESELF IN GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE IN THE
CHURCH BY CONSIDERING IT AS THE HOUSE OF GOD....................................... 19
#6 SECOND WAY OF PLACING ONESELF IN GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE IN THE
CHURCH BY CONSIDERING OUR LORD IN THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
OF THE ALTAR ................................................................................................................... 22
CHAPTER III ............................................................................................................................. 26
DIFFERENT WAYS OF ATTENDING TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD .............................. 26
#1 BY MULTIPLIED REFLECTIONS: REFLECTIONS MADE ON THE PRESENCE
GOD SHOULD BE BASED ON ONLY ONE 0F THE WAYS OF CONSIDERING GOD
PRESENT .............................................................................................................................. 26
#2 BY SHORT AND PROLONGED REFLECTIONS: HOW TO MAINTAIN OUR-
SELVES IN THE HOLY PRESENCE OF GOD BY RECALLING PASSAGES OF
HOLY SCRIPTURE, AND THE REFLECTIONS THAT CAN BE MADE ON SUCH
PASSAGES ............................................................................................................................ 27
#3 APPLYING OURSELVES TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD BY SIMPLE ATTENTION30
EXPLANATION OF THE FIRST PART OF THE METHOD OF MENTAL PRAYER ..... 35
CHAPTER 4 ................................................................................................................................ 36
OF THE THREE ACTS THAT RELATE TO GOD ............................................................... 36
#1 OF THE ACT OF FAITH: OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF PUTTING OURSELVES
IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD ............................................................................................ 36
ACT OF FAITH ON THE PRESENCE OF OUR LORD DWELLING IN THE MIDST OF
THOSE WHO ARE ASSEMBLED IN HIS NAME .......................................................... 38
ACT OF FAITH ON THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITHIN US TO PRESERVE US IN
BEING ................................................................................................................................... 39
ACT OF FAITH IN GOD PRESENT IN US AS IN HIS KINGDOM ................................... 39
ON THE ACT OF FAITH IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE CHURCH ................... 42
ACT OF FAITH IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT .. 43
REFLECTIONS WE MAY MAKE ON GOD’S PRESENCE ............................................... 43
#2 THE ACT OF ADORATION ................................................................................................ 46
#3 THE ACT OF THANKSGIVING ........................................................................................ 48
CHAPTER 5 ................................................................................................................................ 49
THE THREE ACTS WHICH REFER TO OURSELVES ...................................................... 49
#1 THE ACT OF HUMILITY ................................................................................................... 50
...................................................................................................................................................... 50
#2 ACT OF REMORSE ............................................................................................................. 51
#3 ACT OF CONTRITION........................................................................................................ 53
CHAPTER 6 ................................................................................................................................ 55
THE THREE ACTS RELATING TO OUR LORD................................................................. 55
#1 THE ACT OF APPLICATION ............................................................................................. 56
#2 ACT OF UNION WITH OUR LORD .................................................................................. 57
#3 ACT OF INVOCATION OF THE SPIRIT OF OUR LORD ............................................. 59
EXPLANATION OF THE SECOND PART OF THE METHOD OF MENTAL PRAYER
WHEN CONSIDERING A MYSTERY .............................................................................. 62
CHAPTER 7 ................................................................................................................................ 62
WHAT IS MEANT BY A “MYSTERY” AND BY THE “SPIRIT” OF A MYSTERY. ....... 62
CHAPTER 8 ................................................................................................................................ 64
#1 ACT OF FAITH ON A MYSTERY ...................................................................................... 64
#2 ACT OF ADORATION ......................................................................................................... 78
#3 ACT OF THANKSGIVING .................................................................................................. 82
CHAPTER 7 ................................................................................................................................ 83
THE THREE ACTS WHICH REFER TO OURSELVES. ..................................................... 83
#1 AN ACT OF REMORSE ....................................................................................................... 83
#2 ACT OF CONTRITION........................................................................................................ 85
#3 ACT OF APPLICATION ...................................................................................................... 86
CHAPTER 10 .............................................................................................................................. 90
THE THREE FINAL ACTS OF THE SECOND PART.......................................................... 90
#1 ACT OF UNION WITH OUR LORD .................................................................................. 91
#2 ACT OF PETITION .............................................................................................................. 93
#3 ACT OF INVOCATION OF THE SAINTS ........................................................................ 95
EXPLANATION OF THE SECOND PART OF THE METHOD OF MENTAL PRAYER
WHEN WE CONSIDER A PARTICULAR VIRTUE ....................................................... 99
CHAPTER 11 .............................................................................................................................. 99
WHAT WE MEAN BY A VIRTUE. .......................................................................................... 99
CHAPTER 12 ............................................................................................................................ 101
THE THREE ACTS WITHIN REFER TO OUR LORD ..................................................... 101
#1 AN ACT OF FAITH ............................................................................................................. 101
261 ..................................................................... HOW TO DWELL ON THIS ACT OF FAITH
102
#2 ACT OF ADORATION ....................................................................................................... 105
#3 ACT OF THANKSGIVING ................................................................................................ 106
CHAPTER 13 ............................................................................................................................ 107
THE THREE ACTS WHICH REFER TO OURSELVES .................................................... 107
#1 AN ACT OF REMORSE ..................................................................................................... 107
#2 ACT OF CONTRITION...................................................................................................... 108
#3 ACT OF APPLICATION .................................................................................................... 109
CHAPTER 14 .............................................................................................................................111
THE LAST THREE ACTS OF THE SECOND PART ..........................................................111
#1 AN ACT OF UNION WITH OUR LORD ..........................................................................111
#2 ACT OF PETITION ............................................................................................................ 112
#3 ACT OF INVOCATION OF THE SAINTS ...................................................................... 114
EXPLANATION OF THE SECOND PART OF THE METHOD WHEN CONSIDERING A
MAXIM IN MENTAL PRAYER....................................................................................... 116
CHAPTER 15 ............................................................................................................................ 116
WHAT IS MEANT BY A MAXIM ......................................................................................... 116
CHAPTER 16 ............................................................................................................................ 119
THE THREE ACTS WHICH REFER TO OUR LORD ...................................................... 119
#1 THE ACT OF FAITH .......................................................................................................... 119
#2 ACT OF ADORATION ....................................................................................................... 121
#3 ACT OF THANKSGIVING ................................................................................................ 122
CHAPTER 17 ............................................................................................................................ 122
THE THREE ACTS WHICH REFER TO US ....................................................................... 122
#1 THE ACT OF REMORSE .................................................................................................. 123
#2 ACT OF CONTRITION...................................................................................................... 123
#3 ACT OF APPLICATION .................................................................................................... 124
CHAPTER 18 ............................................................................................................................ 127
THE LAST THREE ACTS OF THE SECOND PART ......................................................... 127
#1 THE ACT OF UNION WITH OUR LORD ...................................................................... 127
#2 ACT OF PETITION ............................................................................................................ 128
#3 ACT OF INVOCATION OF THE SAINTS ..................................................................... 129
NOTICE .................................................................................................................................... 130
EXPLANATION OF THE THIRD PART OF THE METHOD OF MENTAL PRAYER
WHICH CONTAINS THREE ACTS ............................................................................... 133
ACT OF REVIEW .................................................................................................................... 133
ACT OF THANKSGIVING .................................................................................................... 134
ACT OF OFFERING ............................................................................................................... 134
INVOCATION OF THE MOST BLESSED VIRGIN ........................................................... 135
FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................ 136
FORWARD TO THE WEB EDITION ................................................................................... 136