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Brookline Carmel Bulletin                         J M J T

April 3, 1960

 

 

Cogitatio Sancta

(Holy Meditation)

 

Reading during Prayer

 

(The following points, are drawn from the article “Un livre a` l’oraison?” by R.P. Pierre-Marie de la Croix, O.C.D., which appeared in the January-February 1960 issue of “Vives Flammes.” Published by Editions du Carmel.  We recommend this little magazine to those who read French.  The address is: “Vives Flames,” Le Petit Castele, Tarascon (Bouches-du Rhone), France.)

 

It should be clearly understood that the use of a book during mental prayer is merely a crutch.  Prayer is a loving conversation.  If this conversation is already in progress, with or without precise ideas, clearly or obscurely, it is useless to have recourse to a book.  A book should be used only to establish a contact with God, when such contact either has not yet been established or has been lost.

 

Depending upon one’s temperament, one may or may not use a book.  When plagued by distractions, some find it more effective to concentrate on some vocal prayer, or to look at some holy picture, or to dwell on the crucifix or the tabernacle, or to study the beauty of God’s creation, or to use some event of the day as a point of departure.  A book is only one means among many of overcoming distractions and maintaining contact with God.  Carmelite tradition has always insisted on freedom of spirit, where mental prayer is concerned.

 

Saint Teresa describes the role which books played in her prayer as follows:  “During all these years, except after communicating, I never dared begin to pray without a book; my soul was as much afraid to engage in prayer without one as if it were having to go and fight against a host of enemies.  With this help, which was a companionship to me and a shield with which I could parry the blows of my many thoughts, I felt comforted.  For it was not usual with me to suffer from aridity:  this only came when I had no book whereupon my soul would at once become disturbed and my thoughts would begin to wander.  As soon as I started to read they began to collect themselves and the book acted like a bait to my soul.  Often the mere fact that I had it by me was sufficient.  Sometimes I read a little, sometimes a great deal, according to the favor, which the Lord showed me.  It seemed to me, in these early stages of which I am speaking, that, provided I had books and could be alone, there was no risk of my being deprived of that great blessing.”  (Life, ch. 4)

 

Prayer should not consist merely of reading.  One does not go to prayer principally to learn something new.  (This does not mean, of course, that one should not study and do spiritual reading at other times to increase one’s knowledge.  But the time set aside for mental prayer should not be looked upon as a “study period.”)  One goes to prayer “not to think much, but to love much.’  Often God will teach the soul during prayer, through His special light and inspiration.  This knowledge is received without study or effort on the part of the soul.

 

In selecting a book to be used during mental prayer, one should not seek the type which will intrigue and absorb the mind with interesting facts and developments of thought.  A simple book of meditations, particularly if it deals with the life of Christ, will serve much better to lead the soul to prayer.  The more complicated books, excellent in themselves, should be reserved for some other time.

 

One should use restraint to stop the reading as soon as contact with God is establishes.  A few sentences, at most, should suffice, under ordinary circumstances.  The temptation to continue reading to satisfy one’s curiosity or to relieve boredom should be resisted at the time of prayer.

 

One should not go to prayer unprepared.  A good preparation for prayer consists in a constant effort to practice the presence of God throughout the day, some wholesome spiritual reading for instruction at some time during the day, and a brief period of “devotional” spiritual reading shortly before the time of mental prayer.

 

 

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