Chapter I. What is devotion

The greatest trouble those persons suffer from who give themselves to Prayer is the failing in Devotion which they so often experience in it. When there is no such failing, there is nothing sweeter, or more easy than to pray. For this reason, now that we have treated upon the subjectmatter of Prayer, and upon the manner of praying, it will be well to consider the things which help Devotion, and also those which hinder it, and the ternptations which most often assail devout people in it; and certain other points necessary to observe in this exercise. But first it will greatly help 127 the matter to set forth what Devotion is, that we may know, to begin with, what is the precious thing for which we are contending.

Devotion, says S. Thomas Aquinas, is a power which makes one prompt and ready for any virtue, and stirs and helps him to do well. This definition declares manifestly the great necessity and usefulness of this power, for it containg in itself more than some would think. We have on this account to consider that the chief hindrance to living a good life is the corruption of human nature which came to us through sin, and from which comes the great inclination we have towards evil, and the difficulty and unwillingness we have in respect of what is good. These two things make the path of virtue most difficult to us, while in itself it is the thing most sweet, most beautiful, most to be desired, most honourable in the world. It is against this difficulty and unwillingness the Divine Wisdom has provided this completest remedy in the power and succour of Devotion. For as the north wind disperses the clouds, and leaves the sky clear and serene, so true Devotion Summa. 2. 2. Ques. Ixxxii. Art. 1.

drives away from our mind all that un- willingness and difficulty, and leaves it then free and disposed for all that is good. This virtue so becomes a power within us as. being at once a very special Gift of the -= Holy Ghost, a heavenly dew, a succour and yisitation of God attained to through Prayer. Its very nature is to contend against the difficulty of which we have spoken, and to overcome this lukewarmness, to’ give us readiness and fill the soul with good desires, to enlighten the understanding, strengthen the Will, kindle in us the Love of God, extinguish the flame ‘of evil desires, teach hatred of worldly things, and abhorrence of sin, and give us new fervour, new spirit, new power, and incentive to well-doing.

For as Samson, while possessed of his hair, had greater strength than any man in the world, and when this was taken away from him, became as weak as other men ; so is the Christian soul strong when he has this Devotion, and weak when he has it not.

And this is what S. Theiss desired to show in his definition, and, without doubt, this is the greatest praise one could give to this virtue, that, being of itself one virtue only, it is a stimulus and incentive to all “others: Let not him. then that would travel by the path of virtues, go without these spurs; for without them he will never be able to arouse the evil beast of his nature from its sluggishness.

clearly seen, then, what is true and real Devotion. For Devotion is not a certain tenderness of heart, or sense of consolation which those who pray feel sometimes, unless there be also a promptitude and disposition for good works, for, when at times would prove who are His own, it often happens that the one is found and not the other. The truth is that from this Devotion and readiness there often arises the consolation spoken of: and, on the other hand, that very consolation and spiritual delight will increase the Devotion itself, which is the readiness and incentive to well-doing. And, therefore, God's servants may, with good reason, desire and ask for these joys and consolations, not for the pleasure they give, but because they are the means of increasing the Devotion which fits them for well- doing, as the Prophet showed when he said, “I will run the way of Thy Commandments, when Thou hast set my heart at liberty,” that is, with the joy of Thy consolation which was the cause of my readiness.

-= And now let us go on to treat of those means by which this Devotion is to be attained, and, since with this virtue are united all others leading to the special knowledge of God, we will consider the means of attaining to the perfection of Prayer‘and Contemplation, to the consolations of the Holy Spirit and the love and wisdom of God, and to that union of our souls with God, which is the end of all spiritual life.

And this, lastly, is to consider the means by which we may attain to the possession of God Himself in this life, which is that Treasure of the Gospel, the “Pearl of great price” for the possession of which the husbandman joyfully despoiled himself of all that he had.

Hence it is we see that the highest aim of our theology is, that from it we may learn the way to the Supreme Good, and may make this life to become a ladder by which we may advance step by step to the eternal happiness awaiting us.

ee Psrexixi-32>