Читать книгу The Practice of Mental Prayer - Father Rene de Maumigny - Страница 30

PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER

CHAPTER V

FIFTH ADVANTAGE OF PRAYER

It gives apostolic works their true fruit

ST. Ignatius says that the apostolic worker is an instrument connected at one and the same time with God and with souls, whose sanctification will be more or less perfect in proportion as the apostolic worker has been more or less closely united to God as his instrument.

This is a happy comparison. A great sculptor can sometimes carve a statue, a real master-piece, with a poor chisel; a famous artist will paint a valuable picture with a bad brush; but however good the brush or the chisel, if they were handled by inferior workmen, the work would always be imperfect. In the same way, an apostolic worker of only moderate knowledge and eloquence, who is yet an instrument closely united to the hand of the Divine and all powerful Worker, will effect wonders in souls; whilst if he is only partially united to God, the result of his work will always be imper-

¹ Const. S. J., P. 10, n. 2.