Part 2, lesson 8. Method to be followed in meditation

Q. After renouncing oursel ves and purifying our heart in

• Currus Dei decem millibus multi plex, millia laetantium, Dominus in eis in Sina, in sancto. Ps. Ixvii, 18.

the beginning of meditation, and uniting ourselves in Spirit with our Lord, what must we do?

A. Two things, as we are taught in the Lord's Prayer: The first, is to adore, praise, and glorify God; the Second, to ask relief in our wants.

Q. Are these the two parts of meditation ?

A. Yes;theFirstiscalledadoration; the Second, communion. Q. Why do you begin with adoration ?

A. 1st. Because, of the two ends of meditation, the princi pal is to honor and glorify God; 2dly, because the church does so in the beginning of her public prayers, saying:* Come, let us adore, and prostrate ourselves before God.

Q. Why do you call the First part, adoration?

A. Because the word adora tion is often taken in the holy scripture, to signify that virtue of Religion which inclines the soul to annihilation, adoration, praise, thanksgiving, love, in a word, to all the duties and homages which we ought to pay to Almighty God in the first part of meditation.

Q. Why do you call the second part, communion.

A. Because, in this part, we

• Venite, adoremus, et procidamus ante Deum. Ps. xciv, 6.

give ourselves to God, to enter into a participation of his graces and perfections. Now, this par ticipation is called communion, especially by the greek Fathers, because in it God renders his riches common to us. xThe par ticipation to the body of Jesus Christ is called sacramental communion, because this sacra ment renders common to us the goods of our Lord, and com municates to us his choicest blessings; by the same reason, the participation that takes place in meditation, is called spiritual communion, on account of the gifts which, Almighty God com municates to us in it by the interior operation alone of his divine Spirit. When a soul ex periences in itself any secret operations, it ought to hold it self in repose and silence, to receive, in their full extent, the gifts and communications of God, without acting by itself, or making any exertion that might disturb the pure and holy operations of the Holy Ghost.

Q. Are these the only parts of meditation ?

A. There is a third part, called by some^ resolutions, by most, cooperation; this is the fruit of meditation, and extends to the \vhole day,

Q. Explain what you mean by cooper aton?

A. After exciting ourselves, in the second part of meditation, to imitate our Lord in the mys tery or virtue we adored m him in the beginning of it, and holding ourselves some time in his holy presence, as poor men dicants, who are never tired to expose their want?, and stretch forth their suppliant hands to those from whom they expect assistance, the third part con sists in corresponding and faith fully cooperating with the grace received. Then we take good and fervent resolutions, foresee the occasions we may have to put them into execution in the course of the day, and abandon our selves entirely to the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, to obey and serve him, not only on the present day, but also during the remainder of our life.

Q. What difference is there between resolutions and coope ration ?

A. They are the same thing; but the word cooperation, desig nates more particularly the vir tue of the Holy Spirit, on whom we must much more rely for our good actions, than upon our will, which can do nothing, unless it be moved and fortified by the virtue of that divine Spirit. On the contrary, the word resolu tions indicates more expressly the determination of our will, and seems to give less to the virtue and efficacious power of the Holy Spirit, to whom, how ever, we must abandon ourselves entirely, so that he may act in us when the occasion presents itself, remind us interiorly of his designs upon us, and give us grace and strength to accomplish them. We must therefore con clude our meditation by a total abandonment of ourselves to the Holy Ghost, who will be our light, our virtue, and our love.