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PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER

is insufficient to make it adopt purely Divine feelings. The transformation of the human into the Divine Will can only be accomplished by frequent converse between God and the soul, that is, by prayer; but if the soul perseveres, this transformation will take place without fail in course of time. If, indeed, by associating with men of evil life we become perverted, and by associating with the virtuous, we ourselves become virtuous, how can we deny that prayer, which is fre- quent and intimate intercourse with God, has the power of making us more Divine?

Yes, it is while praying that the soul, enraptured by the infinite beauty of God's Will, comes to regard God's slightest wish as of more importance than all created things; not only those which the world prizes, such as riches, honor and pleasure, but even those which are truly valuable, such as spiritual consolation. Thus the soul follows Our Lord's example. Who, deprived of all sensible joys and in agony said: Father, not my will, but thine be done!"¹

It is during prayer that the soul which has been rendered God-like comes to account

¹ Luke 22: 42.