Chapter XXIV

How vocal prayer may be made with perfection. Its close connexion with mental prayer.¹

1. How vocal prayers should be said. 2. Recollection and vocal prayer. 3. Involuntary distractions during prayer. 4. Our part in obtaining recollection.

1. Now let me address myself to those souls I mentioned who can neither recollect themselves, nor concentrate their minds on mental prayer, nor can they meditate. We must not mention either of these words before them, for they will not hear of such things. In fact, many people are terrified at the mere name of mental prayer or meditation, yet perhaps some such persons may enter this convent, for as I said, all are not led by the same way. What I will advise you about, or I may say teach you (for as Prioress, I am your mother, and have the right to teach), is how to pray vocally, because you ought to understand the words you utter. Since long prayers may tire one who cannot fix her mind on God, I will not speak of them, but only of those which, as Christians, we are bound to repeat — namely the Pater Noster and the Ave Maria.²

2. Clearly, we ought to attend to how we say our prayers; then no one can say we speak without understanding our own words. Perhaps we think it is enough for us to pray as a matter of habit and that it suffices if we simply pronounce the words. Whether it suffices or no, is not for me to say: I leave the decision to theologians: God will give them light to guide those who consult them, and as to those who do not belong to our state of life, it is no business of mine. But, my daughters, I do not wish us to content ourselves with this. When I recite, in the Credo, 'I believe . . .' it seems to me that I ought to know and to understand what it is that 'I believe.' If I say, 'Our Father', love requires that I should know Who is 'our Father', and Who the Master that teaches us this prayer, for there is an immense difference between one master and another. If you tell me, that it is enough to know this once for all and to think no more about it, you might as well say that it is enough to recite the prayer itself once in a life-time. It is shameful to forget even our human teachers, especially if they were very holy and were our spiritual guides: we could not do so if we were faithful pupils. We should preserve a strong affection and respect for them, and should often speak of them. God forbid, then, that whenever we say this prayer we should not think of such a Master, so loving and desirous of our good. Still, human nature is so frail that we may often forget Him.

3. You know that His Majesty taught us that the first point is that prayer should be made in solitude.³ He practised this Himself; not because it was requisite for Him, but for the sake of our instruction. I have already explained that we can not speak both to God and to the world at the same time. Yet what else are we doing if, while we pray, we listen to other people's conversation or let our thoughts dwell unchecked on whatever subject occurs to them? I am not alluding to times when people are out of health (especially if they suffer from melancholia), or when their brains are tired, for then no effort will control the attention. On other occasions God permits a tempest of difficulties to assault His servants for their greater good: then, though the soul may grieve at its distractions and try to stop them, this is found to be impossible. Such a person cannot attend to what she is saying, strive as she may, nor can she fix her thoughts on any other subject: indeed she seems bereft of reason and her wits wander — still the pain this state causes her proves her to be blameless in the matter. She should not trouble herself about it; this would only increase the evil: let her not tire herself by trying to reduce her mind to reason, of which in such a state it is incapable. Let her pray as best she can, or leave off praying and rest her brain as if she were ill, occupying herself with some other good work. This advice applies to persons who watch carefully over themselves and who grasp the truth that they cannot speak both to God and to the world at the same time.

4. On our part, we can endeavour to be alone — God grant this may suffice to make us realise in Whose Presence we are and how He answers our petitions. Do you suppose He is silent, though we cannot hear Him? He speaks to our hearts when our hearts speak to Him. It would be good for us to believe that He teaches this prayer to each one of us in particular. This Master is never so far off that His scholars need raise their voices to make Him hear: He keeps very close to them. I want to show you that, to say the Pater Noster well, you must not leave the side of the Tutor Who teaches it you. Perhaps you will say that this is meditation, and that you cannot pray except vocally nor do you wish to do so. Some people are impatient and self-indulgent, and find it difficult to collect their thoughts when they begin to pray, being unused to the habit; therefore to avoid some little trouble, they say they do not know how, nor can they do more than pray vocally. You are right in calling that which I am speaking of ' mental prayer', but I assure you that vocal prayers, properly recited, cannot be separated from it if we are to realise with Whom we are speaking. We are bound to pray with attention, and may God grant that, with the aid of all these means, we may succeed in saying the Pater Noster well without wandering thoughts. I sometimes suffer from them, and I find that the best remedy is to keep my mind fixed on Him to Whom my words are addressed. You must be patient, and try to accustom yourselves to this most necessary practice, which for nuns — and, in my opinion, for all good Christians — is indispensable.