On Meditation

If there is one duty more important than any or all others for those who would strive to attain perfection, it is the duty of prayer. From a neglect of this have arisen the spiritual calamities of whole bodies of men as well as of individuals, as the Spirit of God declares, “With desolation is all the land made desolate, because there is none that considereth in his heart.” ¹ It is by inducing us to grow remiss, negligent, and indifferent in regard of this duty, that the enemy of our human nature most commonly succeeds in drawing us into a state of tepidity in God's service, and into the temptations of sin. Hence we should often examine ourselves to see how we are affected with regard to it.

We will then consider the excellence of mental prayer, and its necessity for us in our state of life, and finally how we are to reduce it to practice.

Preparatory prayer will be as usual.

Point 1.—Nothing is more recommended in holy books, more insisted upon by the teaching and example of the saints and of the great masters of spiritual life and the founders of Religious Orders, such as St. Bonaventure, St. Bernard, and St. Augustine, than the practice of meditation. They speak of it as the light, the food, and the medicine of the soul. Just as light is necessary for the life and the exercise of the duties of men, and as without it society could not exist, and nature would be thrown into confusion, &c., so without prayer the soul would be darkened, and would lose all supernatural life, and would end in moral confusion and death.

Without a due supply of nourishment the body would become enfeebled and gradually lose its power of action, would decay and die; so also without prayer the soul's strength and energy would be undermined, and its intellectual power and moral energy would soon become paralyzed and lose all capability of rising above the mere use of its natural powers, and thereby would fail in attaining the end for which it has been created.

Again, just as the body is liable to decay and is exposed to countless disorders, weaknesses, and diseases, and hence requires frequent medicines to preserve its health and stave off the approaches of death, so also the soul is exposed to innumerable diseases, such as vanity, pride, sensuality, self-love, self-indulgence, envy, sloth, &c.; all or any one of which, unless cured or held in check by meditation and prayer, would soon become mortal in their effects.

Others, again, call meditation the strength of the soul, the source and fountain from which all virtues flow, the basis and column which support and maintain them in the soul. They speak of it as the weapon by which our enemies are disarmed and dispersed, the means of appeasing the anger of God, the key to unlock the treasure-house of Heaven, and the instrument to draw down all graces from God. From all this we learn how strongly the saints recommend prayer.

Point 2.—The necessity of prayer.—There is an obligation incumbent on all to become saints. The law is universal. Estote sancti—“Be ye saints.” ² Now, for this three conditions are required: we must hate sin, we must be detached from all creatures, and we must love God. But without meditation and the spirit of prayer we cannot hope to attain any one of these, and consequently could not possibly fulfil the law.

Further, without the grace of God it is impossible for us to perform the smallest supernatural action, and in every instant and circumstance of life we stand in need of this grace; but a condition of securing it is prayer, and hence we see its necessity, which is inculcated by our Lord, saying, “It behoveth always to pray, and that without failing,” ³ and again, “Pray lest ye enter into temptation.” ⁴ The example of our Blessed Lord further impresses this same necessity upon us.

Point 3.—The practice of meditation is especially incumbent upon us, for many reasons. First, because God has through St. Ignatius provided us with a special and easy method of meditation; secondly, for the fulfilment of the arduous duties of our state of life, we require at all times extraordinary helps and graces; and we may presume with reason that those helps will be only measured out to us in proportion to our fidelity in the use of the method of prayer which has been given to us.

Point 4.—Let us examine then how we appreciate this gift of God? Do we practise it and observe the various Additions faithfully? Do we give the full time to it? Do we seriously apply the three powers of the soul?

If we find that we have been guilty of any negligence and have grown remiss or apathetic, let us seriously resolve to correct ourselves and to resume our former fervour and exactness. Any neglect on this matter must induce sad consequences.

1. Jerem. xii. 11.
2. Comp. Ephes. i. 4; Coloss. iii. 12; 1 St. Peter i. 15, 16.
3. St. Luke xviii. 1.
4. St. Matt. xxvi. 41; St. Mark xiv. 38.