Читать книгу The Practice of Mental Prayer - Father Rene de Maumigny - Страница 47

PRINCIPAL ACTS OF PRAYER

tion or self-humiliation at the beginning of the exercise, use the terms indifferently.

The soul may make its own choice as to the manner of adoration or self-humiliation: the act is essential, the method immaterial.

St. Ignatius advises us to humble our- selves by prostrating ourselves before God.¹ copying our Lord's example when He commenced His prayer in the Garden by throwing Himself fiat on the ground: And going a little further, he fell on His face praying.''² Other Saints thought the recita- tion of the Confiteor preferable; others again that of the "Miserere. "'

In short, whatever method is used, we should fill our souls with the same thought as Abraham, the privileged friend of God: I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes;"³ or, better still, imitate the humility of Our Lady, the most Blessed Virgin Mary, when she said: My soul doth magnify the Lord . . . because He hath regarded the humility of his hand- maid." ⁴

¹ Spiritual Exercises, Addit. 3. ² Matth. 26: 39.

² Gen. 18: 27. ⁴ Luke 1: 46, 48.