Читать книгу The Practice of Mental Prayer - Father Rene de Maumigny - Страница 15

EXCELLENCE OF MENTAL PRAYER

ness, and in profound humility cries: " Lord, Lord, hear my voice! Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication."¹

Again, while meditating on Our Lord's words: Ask and you shall receive; Amen, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you," the Christian makes an act of lively faith, in relying on the promise that God has made of giving us Heaven through the merits of Jesus Christ, and from this promise arises a firm hope of being heard in spite of natural fears, the attacks of the devil, and the allurements of the world.

Finally, while meditating under God's very eye and silencing all worldly pre- occupations, the Christian realizes that one thing alone is necessary, eternal salvation. Then, a heaven-sent light impresses upon him the truth of our Divine Master's maxim: "What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?"²

And so, strengthened by these thoughts, he perseveres in prayer in spite of fear, listlessness or sadness, and in persevering he is saved.

¹ Ps. 129: 1. ² Matth. 16: 26.