Chapter 1. On the Fruits to Be Gathered from Prayer and Meditation

1.—As this Book purports to treat on prayer and meditation, it will be well at the beginning, in order to induce persons to devote themselves more cheerfully to these holy exercises, to describe in a few words the fruits to be gathered from them. j

2.—It is well known that one of the greatest obstacles that man encounters in the pursuit of eternal happiness is the - corrupt inclination of his own heart, and the difficulty and trouble he finds in attempting to work well, otherwise it would be easy to follow the path of virtue and obtain the object for which he was created. Hence the Apostle said, “T delight in the law of God according to the interior man, but I feel another law and inclination in my members, which contradicts the law of my spirit, and which drags me after it captive to the law of sin.” This then is the universal root of almost all evil.

3.—To remedy this trouble and difficulty, and to facilitate this business, one of the most profitable means is devotion, SUSU because, as St. Thomas says, “Devotion is sie ry nothing but a promptitude and readiness to work well, which banishes from our souls all this trouble and difficulty, and makes us ready and eager for all that is good ; because it is also a spiritual repast, a refreshing dew of heaven, a breath of the Holy Spirit, and a supernatural act which so regales, strengthens, and transforms the heart of man as to give it much taste and longing for spiritual things, and fresh disgust and horror for sensual things. Each day’s experience shews us this, for the moment a spiritual man emerges from fervent and devout prayer, he renews all his good resolutions, all his fervour and determination to work well, his desire to please and love a Lord so good and sweet as he has thus shewn himself, and to suffer more pains and hardships, yea to shed his blood for him; and then, in fine, is revived and renewed all the verdure of our souls.

4.—And if you ask me how this truly powerful and noble love of devotion is obtained, the same holy doctor has answered, saying, “through meditation and the contemplation of divine things, because from profound meditation and reflection on them proceed that affection and sentiment of the will which we call devotion, and which incites and moyes us to everything good.” On this account this holy and religious exercise is so much praised and commended by all the saints, because it is the means to arrive at devotion, which, though itself only one virtue, prepares us for and urges us to the practice of all others, and acts as a general stimulus to them all. To test the truth of this, see how St. Bonaventure boldly proclaims it in these words : —

5.—“* If thou desirest to suffer with patience the adversities and miseries of this life, be a man of prayer; if thou desirest to obtain power and strength to overcome the temptations of the enemy, be a man of prayer; if thou desirest to mortify thy self-will, and all thy affections and appetites, be a man of prayer; if thou desirest to know the wiles of Satan and to protect thyself against his deceits, be a man of prayer ; if thou desirest to live joyfully and to travel cheerfully along the road of penance and of labour, be a man of prayer; if thou desirest to brush from thy soul the troublesome flies of vain thoughts and cares, be a man of prayer; if thou wouldst nourish it with the fulness of devotion, aud have it at all times supplied with abundance of good thoughts and desires, be aman of prayer; if thou wouldst strengthen and confirm _ thy heart in the way of God, be a man of prayer; finally, if thou wouldst root out of thy soul all vices, and plant virtues in their stead, be a man of prayer; because in that is received the union and grace of the Holy Spirit which teaches all things. And, moreover, wouldst thou mount to the height of contemplation, and enjoy the sweet embraces of. the Spouse, exercise thyself in prayer, for this is the way by which the soul ascends to the contemplation and taste of heavenly things. Behold then the strength and potency of prayer; and in proof of it (apart from the testimony of the Holy Scriptures) let this suffice for abundant evidence, that we have heard of and seen, and still see daily, many simple persons who haye obtained all the above things, and still greater, by means of the exercise of prayer.” Thus far the words of St. Bonaventure. What treasure then so great, what store so rich and so filled with valuables, as this ? 6.—Listen also to what is said, bearing upon this point, ‘by another holy religious doctor, when speaking of this virtue. “By prayer,” he says, “the soul is cleansed from sin, charity is fed, faith is certified, hope is strengthened, the spirit is filled with joy, the inner man is softened, the - heart is stilled, truth is brought to light, temptation is overcome, sorrow is put to flight, the senses are revived, weakened virtue is restored to strength, laziness vanishes, the rust of vice is consumed, bright sparks of the love of heaven are struck by which the flame of divine love is kindled. To it the gates of heaven are opened, the secrets of heaven disclosed, and the ears of God are ever listening.”

Let this suffice, for the present, to point out in some manner the fruits of this holy exercise. e io e s