. Discussion of CHAPTER 26 The Way of Perfection - Continues the description of a method for recollecting the thoughts. - Describes means of doing this. This chapter is very profitable for those who are beginning prayer. . |
St. Teresa continues on the subject of prayer
"so that we may learn to pray"
█ Preparation for Prayer:
● "...the first things must be
• examination of conscience,
• confession of sin and
• the signing of yourself with the Cross".
● Put yourself in the presence of the Lord
"Then...as you are alone,
you must look for a companion--
and who could be a better Companion
than the very Master
Who taught you the prayer
that you are about to say?"
"Imagine that this Lord Himself
is at your side
and
See how lovingly and how humbly
He is teaching you...
You should stay with so good a Friend
for as long as you can
before you leave Him.
If you become accustomed to
having Him at your side, and
if He sees
that you
love Him to be there and
are always trying to please Him,
you will never be able...
send Him away,
nor will He ever fail you.
He will help you in all your trials
and
and
you will have Him everywhere.
Do you think it is a small thing
to have such a Friend as that beside you?"
. From Chapter 24 Before and while praying ◦ consider: - "Whom we are going to address, and - who we are that are addressing Him, so that we may (pray) in the way we should..." ◦ "try to be alone ...realize - in Whose presence we are and - how the Lord answers our petitions" ◦ "It would be a good idea for us to imagine [consider / reflect] - that He has taught this prayer to each one of us individually, and - that He is continually expounding it to us" . |
● "I am not asking you now
to think of Him,
or
to form numerous conceptions of Him,
or
to make long and subtle meditations
with your understanding.
I am asking you
only to look at Him.
For who can prevent you
from turning the eyes of your soul
( just for a moment,
if you can do no more )
upon this Lord?
You are capable of looking
at very ugly and loathsome things:
Can you not, then, look
at the most beautiful thing imaginable?
Your Spouse never takes His eyes off you...
He has borne with thousands
of foul and abominable sins
which you have committed against Him,
yet even they have not been enough
to make Him cease looking upon you.
Is it such a great matter,
then, for you
- to avert the eyes of your soul
from outward things
and sometimes
- to look at Him?
See,
He is only waiting for us to look at Him,
...you will find Him.
He longs so much
for us to look at Him once more
that it will not be for lack of effort
on His part
if we fail to do so".
. ● Aids to Recollections ▪ "You will find it very helpful if you can get an image or a picture of this Lord ...to use regularly whenever you talk to Him, and He will tell you what to say. Why should (words fail you) when you talk to God? Do not imagine that they will-- I shall certainly not believe that they have done so if you once form the habit. ▪ It is also a great help to have a good book, written in the vernacular, simply as an aid to recollection. With this aid you will learn to say your vocal prayers well, ...as they ought to be said" . |
. █ Active Mental (meditative) Prayer St. Teresa gives instructions and examples regarding how to meditate discursively on the Passion and the Resurrection of Our Lord. She illustrates how to enlist one's mood and emotions, as well as the heart and mind in this prayer: "If you are happy, look upon your risen Lord, and the very thought of how He rose from the sepulchre will gladden you. How bright and how beautiful was He then! How majestic! [98] How victorious! How joyful! He was like one emerging from a battle in which He had gained a great kingdom, all of which He desires you to have-- and with it, (He desires you to have) Himself. Is it such a great thing that you should - turn your eyes but once and - look upon Him Who has made you such great gifts? If you are suffering trials, or are sad, look upon Him on His way to the Garden. What sore distress He must have borne in His soul, to describe His own suffering as He did and to complain of it! Or look upon Him bound to the Column, full of pain, His flesh all torn to pieces by His great love for you. How much He suffered, persecuted by some, spat upon by others, denied by His friends, and even deserted by them, with none to take His part, frozen with the cold and left so completely alone that you may well comfort each other! Or look upon Him bending under the weight of the Cross and not even allowed to take breath: He will look upon you with His lovely and compassionate eyes, full of tears, and in comforting your grief will forget His own because you are - bearing Him company in order to comfort Him and - turning your head to look upon Him. "O Lord of the world, my true Spouse!" you may say to Him, if seeing Him in such a plight has filled your heart with such tenderness that you not only desire to look upon Him but love to speak to Him, not using forms of prayer, but words issuing from the compassion of your heart, which means so much to Him: Do I read in Thy face that Thou hast found comfort, even in me? How can it be possible, Lord, that the angels are leaving Thee alone and that Thy Father is not comforting Thee? "If Thou, Lord, art willing to suffer all this for me, what am I suffering for Thee? What have I to complain of? I am ashamed, Lord, when I see Thee in such a plight, and if in any way I can imitate Thee I will suffer all trials that come to me and count them as a great blessing. Let us go both together, Lord: whither Thou goest, I must go; through whatsoever Thou passest, I must pass." Take up this cross" Think often of the weariness of His journey and of how much harder His trials were than those which you have to suffer. However hard you may imagine yours to be, and however much affliction they may cause you, they will be a source of comfort to you, for you will see that they are matters for scorn compared with the trials endured by the Lord. . |
. St. Teresa encourages especially those: "whose minds cannot reason for long or whose thoughts cannot dwell upon God but are constantly wandering" that they "must at all costs form this habit". "for many years I endured this trial of being unable to concentrate on one subject, and a very sore trial it is. But I know the Lord does not leave us so devoid of help that if we approach Him humbly and ask Him to be with us He will not grant our request. If a whole year passes without our obtaining what we ask, let us be prepared to try for longer. Let us never grudge time so well spent. Who, after all, is hurrying us? I am sure that we can - form this habit and - strive to walk at the side of this true Master" . |
. Regarding the question of the difficulty of being in the presence of Our Lord compared to those "who had seen Him when he lived in the world": St. Teresa writes that some would say that they surely would have attended to Jesus "willingly and gazed at Him for ever… if (they) had seen His Majesty with (their) bodily eyes at the time when He lived in the world" But in response to this, St. Teresa, stresses the importance of intention, time, and effort in disposing ourselves into the Presence of God, rather than relying on physical presence to be near Him. - One could have been physically present then and yet their mind could have been far away. - If we can't apply ourself to prayer now, when we are safe and peaceful, how than could we have withstood the sacrifice, suffering and dangers that the Blessed Mother and the disciples faced? "anyone who will not make the slight effort necessary for recollection in order to gaze upon this Lord present within her, which she can do without danger and with only the minimum of trouble, would have been far less likely to stand at the foot of the Cross with the Magdalen, who looked death... straight in the face. What the glorious Virgin and this blessed saint must have suffered!" So do not suppose, sisters, that you would have been prepared to endure such great trials then, if you are not ready for such trifling ones now. Practise enduring these and you may be given others which are greater" . |
Finally, St. Teresa reminds us
that since we have been so accustom
to seeking our own way and comforts
it will take perseverence and God's help
to establish good habits and
to "Keep (ourselves) at the side
of this good Master".
"But you will derive such great profit from them...
- He will never leave you
unless you leave Him
- ...what love He has for you,
- ...it is no small blessing and joy
for the pupil to see
that his Master loves Him".
"We sinners are like that:
We have accustomed our souls and minds
to go after their own pleasures
(or pains, it would be more correct to say)
until the unfortunate soul no longer knows
what it is doing.
When that has happened,
a good deal of skill is necessary
before it can be inspired
with enough love
to make it stay at home;
but unless we can gradually do that
we shall accomplish nothing.
Once again I assure you
that, if you are careful to form habits
of the kind I have mentioned,
you will derive such great profit from them...
Keep at the side
of this good Master...
Be most firmly resolved to learn
what He teaches you;
His Majesty will then ensure
your not failing to be good disciples, and
He will never leave you
unless you leave Him.
Consider...what love He has for you,
and it is no small blessing and joy
for the pupil to see
that his Master loves Him".
________________
| . End of Discussion of Chapter 26 . |
