. Discussion of CHAPTER 25 The Way of Perfection - Describes the great gain which comes to a soul when it practises vocal prayer perfectly. - Shows how God may raise it thence to things supernatural. . |
St. Teresa describes the benefits of
"practising vocal prayer perfectly"
She teaches that
by practicing this prayer perfectly,
one will also be practicing mental prayer.
and
"it is quite possible for the Lord
to grant you perfect contemplation"
"To recite
the Pater Noster and the Ave Maria,
or any other petition you like,
is vocal prayer".
But to pray vocal prayer perfectly,
the voice must be accompanied
by the mind and heart
(as much as possible,
with the help of God)
(as much as possible,
with the help of God)
by directing attention and devotion
to God and
to what we are communicating to Him.
Vocal prayer is primarily a prayer
of the heart and the mind,
not of the tongue.
. Mental Prayer Regarding mental prayer, she said: "Mental prayer consists in • thinking of what we are saying, • understanding it, and • realizing ˚ Whom we are addressing, and ˚ who we are that are daring to address so great a Lord. To think of this and other similar things, such as ˚ how little we have served Him and ˚ how great is our obligation to serve Him, is mental prayer." St. Teresa wanted to assure her Nuns that this thoughtful prayer is not complicated, risky, or new to them. Although the term, 'mental prayer', might be new to them it was what they were striving for all along: - the raising of the mind and heart to God. "Do not think of it as one more thing with an unfamiliar name and do not let the name frighten you". ___________________________ Jesus, Himself, taught us the importance of Mental Prayer ( with attention and devotion) with our Vocal Prayer: He taught the "Our Father", to the apostles when they asked of Him, "Lord, teach us to pray" [Luke 11:1]. He advised, "In praying, do not babble... (do not use meaningless repetition) Think(ing)...that (you) will be heard because of …many words". [Mt: 6:7] |
By Vocal prayer
(when accompanied by the heart and mind),
and Mental prayer,
one can strive
to dispose oneself with God's help
to graces
to the acquisition of virtue
and
to advancement in prayer
"In these two kinds of prayer,
with God's help,
we may accomplish something ourselves".
. Contemplation She describes Contemplation as the advanced prayer state in which: "...His Majesty shows - that He is listening to the person who is addressing Him, and - that, in His greatness, He is addressing her, by suspending the understanding, putting a stop to all thought... so that even if she wishes to speak she cannot do so, or at any rate not without great difficulty" Such a person understands that, without any sound of words, she is being taught by this Divine Master, Who is suspending her faculties, which, if they were to work, would be causing her harm rather than profit. The faculties rejoice without knowing how they rejoice; the soul is enkindled in love without understanding how it loves; it knows that it is rejoicing in the object of its love, yet it does not know how it is rejoicing in it. It is well aware that this is not a joy which can be attained by the understanding; the will embraces it, without understanding how; but, in so far as it can understand anything, it perceives that this is a blessing which could not be gained by the merits of all the trials suffered on earth, put together. It is a gift of the Lord of earth and Heaven, Who gives it like the God He is. This...is perfect contemplation." "In the contemplation which I have just described we can do nothing. It is His Majesty Who does everything; the work is His alone and far transcends human nature". . |
. For more information on Contemplation, St. Teresa refers the reader to her other writings, But doesn't specify the book or chapters. "I described this as well as I was able in the relation which I made of it, as I have said, so that my confessors should see it when they read the account of my life which they had ordered me to write. As I have explained all this about contemplation at such length... I shall not repeat myself here" Perhaps she was referring to: The Life (The Autobiography of Teresa of Jesus of the Order of Our Lady of Mt Carmel) Chapter 10: Chapter 16: The Relations ( or "Manifestations of her Spiritual State which St. Teresa Submitted to Her Confessors" or "Relations of the Spirit") Relation VIII: Relation V: Readers can also refer to her later work: "The Interior Castle" Mansion V . |
St. Teresa said:
"You will now understand
how different (Contemplation) is
from Mental prayer"
"In these two kinds of prayer,
(mental prayer and vocal prayer)
(mental prayer and vocal prayer)
with God's help,
we may accomplish something ourselves".
Here, above, she was referring to
Mental Prayer
( a silent prayer of the heart and mind)
and
Vocal prayer (prayer said out loud but is also
accompanied by the heart and mind;
therefore, it is combined with mental prayer)
These are active prayers in which one
strives to meditate on God and
on one's relationship to him and
on one's communication with Him.
__________________
Contemplation
is a gift from God.
is a gift from God.
It is not earned or acquired by one's effort.
In Contemplation, God is active and
the soul is passive. God "does everything".
The soul "is being taught by this Divine Master".
"In the contemplation...
we can do nothing".
"It is His Majesty
Who does everything;
the work is His alone
and far transcends human nature".
To those who are not at that time
"called by the Lord to this state of contemplation"
St. Teresa offers this advice and encouragement:
"Let them leave everything to the Lord,
to Whom it belongs
to grant this gift, and
He will not deny it (to) you
if you do not tarry on the road
but press forward
so as to reach the end of your journey"
_____________________________
| . End of Discussion of Chapter 25 The Way of Perfection . |
