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MENTAL PRAYER Method of the Three Powers
INTRODUCTION
The art of Meditation belongs to, and forms no
unimportant part of, the Science of the Saints.
The Science of the Saints consists much less in
rules taught by man than in the unction of the
Holy Ghost and in that desire which arises from
good will. It is for this reason that the first thing
one who really wants to make a fruitful Meditation is counseled to do, is to earnestly beg this
grace: Lord, teach us to pray . . . to meditate. The unction of the Holy Ghost, teaches us
all things. He asketh for us with unspeakable groanings.
Now, if no one can even say, Lord Jesus, except
in the Holy Ghost, who can spend a whole half hour in meditating, with ardent affection and to
her own profit, upon things Divine, unless she be
prepared and assisted by the same Holy Spirit?
Your first step, then, if you wish to meditate well,
must be fervently to beg Our Lord for this grace,
this science of Meditation. Fervently, for it is an
exceedingly precious gift. It is also essential,
and to know how to meditate may truly be said
to be worth no less to a Religious than that most
precious gift, her vocation, and perseverance in
her vocation. A poor man will easily learn the
trade by which he hopes to get rich. How necessary, then, must it not be for you to earnestly seek
and zealously practice an exercise by which you
can alleviate your poverty and misery, not indeed
of body, but, more important still, of soul! So,
you must add to prayer a serious effort on your
part, for it is not right to expect God to work
miracles for you, nor to impart to you the gift of
Meditation, unless you, on your side, take the
necessary steps. This, then, premised, given too
a true desire of virtue, without which all falls
to pieces, we will briefly touch upon what you
yourself can do towards attaining, with the help
of Divine grace, the gift of prayer.
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