. Discussion of CHAPTER 28 The Way of Perfection - Describes the nature of the Prayer of Recollection and - sets down some of the means by which we can make it a habit. . |
St. Teresa continues to teach regarding prayer.
She said that especially
"for minds which wander
it is of great importance
not only to have a right belief about this
but to try to learn it by experience,
•...What Heaven is
• Where you must seek
your most holy Father...
for it is one of the best ways of
- concentrating the mind and
- effecting recollection in the soul".
▲ "that God is everywhere"
▲ "wherever God is,
there is Heaven...
there is fullness of glory"
▲ God is present within the soul
"the Lord is within us and
that we should be there with Him"
"we need no wings
to go in search of Him
but have only to find a place
where we can be alone and
look upon Him present within us"
"He is so near that He will hear us"
"Saint Augustine tells us about his
seeking God in many places and
finding Him eventually within himself"
"in order to speak
to its Eternal Father and
to take its delight in Him,
(one) has no need
to go to Heaven
or
to speak in a loud voice"
"For, hidden there within itself,
(one) can
◦ think about the Passion, and
◦ picture the Son, and
◦ offer Him to the Father,
without wearying the mind
by going to seek Him
on Mount Calvary, or
in the Garden, or
at the Column"
"within this little Heaven of the soul,
wherein dwells the Maker
of Heaven and earth"
"Imagine
that within the palace (of the soul)
dwells this great King,
Who has vouchsafed
to become your Father
and
Who is seated
upon a throne of supreme price-
namely, your heart.
"How wonderful it is
that He
Whose greatness could fill
a thousand worlds...
should confine Himself
within so small a space,
just as He was pleased to dwell
within the womb
of His most holy Mother!"
. St. Teresa Advises: ■ Prayer: "we must - talk to Him very humbly, as we should to our father, - ask Him for things as we should ask a father, - tell Him our troubles, - beg Him to put them right, and - yet realize that we are not worthy to be called His children. - Avoid being bashful with God, as some people are, in the belief that they are being humble. It would not be humility on your part if the King were to do you a favour and you refused to accept it; but you would be showing humility by - taking it, and - being pleased with it, - yet realizing how far you are from deserving it" ■ Strive for Detachment: ▪ "...making an effort not to look at things of the world" "Those - who are able to shut themselves up in this way within this little Heaven of the soul, wherein dwells the Maker of Heaven and earth, and - who have formed the habit of ◦ looking at nothing and ◦ staying in no place which will distract these outward senses, may be sure that they ◦ are walking on an excellent road, and ◦ will come without fail to drink of the water of the fountain, for they will journey a long way in a short time". ▪ "they do what they can to get away from it (the world)... by recollecting their senses. "What does an animal do beyond satisfying his hunger by seizing whatever attracts him when he sees it? There should surely be a great difference between the brute beasts and ourselves, as we have such a Father". ▪ "When no hindrance comes to it from outside, the soul remains alone with its God and is thoroughly prepared to become enkindled (with love of God)... to help us realize that we actually have something within us incomparably more precious than anything we see outside". "Do not let us suppose that the interior of the soul is empty; If we took care always to remember what a Guest we have within us, I think it would be impossible for us to abandon ourselves to vanities and things of the world, for we should see how worthless they are by comparison with those which we have within us" ▪ "I did not understand What that soul merited, or Who dwelt within it, until I closed my eyes to the vanities of this world in order to see it. ...If I had understood then, as I do now, how this great King really dwells within this little palace of my soul, I should not have left Him alone so often, but should have stayed with Him and never have allowed His dwelling-place to get so dirty". ▪ "The important point is that we - should be absolutely resolved to give (ourself) to Him for His own and - should empty (ourself) so that He may take out and put in just what He likes, as He would with something of His own. but (He) does not give Himself wholly until He sees that we are giving ourselves wholly to Him". "Nor does He work within the soul as He does when it is wholly His and keeps nothing back. If we fill the palace with vulgar people and all kinds of junk, how can the Lord and His Court occupy it?" ■ Humility, Acknowledgement and Gratitude for the blessings received from God "It would not be humility on your part if the King were to do you a favour and you refused to accept it; but you would be showing humility by - taking it, and - being pleased with it, - yet realizing how far you are from deserving it. St. Teresa says to remain with Him and not leave Him alone. ■ Persevere continuously Striving in prayer, detachment, good works, and imitating virtue with the help of God "it is very important that we should not travel too slowly, ... get accustomed to these good habits. ▪ To Persevere even though the body may feel discomfort or encounter difficulty at the beginning; "Gradually the sense will come to obey the soul when given a sign by the soul that it wants to be recollected". ▪ To offer all to Him; to hold nothing back "...for there is no building so beautiful as a soul that is pure and full of virtues, and, the greater these virtues are, the more brilliantly do the stones shine" "Souls who do so are more secure from many occasions of sin, and the fire of Divine love is is the more readily enkindled in them" . |
. Benefits: ♦ God "will teach you what you must do to please Him" "He fashions Himself to our measure. When a soul sets out upon this path, (God) does not reveal Himself to it, lest it should feel dismayed at seeing that its littleness can contain such greatness; but gradually He enlarges it to the extent requisite for what He has to set within it. ...He has power to make the whole of this (soul) great" ♦ Advancement toward Genuine Detachment "If we ˚ cultivate the habit (of detachment) ˚ make the necessary effort and ˚ practise the exercises for several days, the benefits will reveal themselves" "..it produces certain effects" "...the soul ....sees that worldly things are nothing but toys; so in due course it rises above them" "It withdraws the senses from all outward things... the soul's spiritual sight becomes clear" "For it is the Lord's will that, in return for the time which their efforts have cost them, the soul and the will should be given this power over the senses. "They will only have to make a sign to show that they wish to enter into recollection and the senses will obey and allow themselves to be recollected" ♦ Advancement in Prayer • "When we begin to pray we shall realize that the bees are coming to the hive and entering it to make the honey, and all without any effort of ours" • Recollection: If one prays in this way, the prayer may be only vocal, but the mind will be recollected much sooner; "It is called recollection because the soul collects together all the faculties and enters within itself to be with its God. "this is a prayer which brings with it many blessings. • Disposes the soul if God wills it to the Prayer of Quiet and further progress in prayer. "Its Divine Master comes more speedily to teach it, and to grant it the Prayer of Quiet, than in any other way" When the will calls them afresh they respond more quickly, until, after they have entered the soul many times, the Lord is pleased that they should remain there altogether in perfect contemplation". They... ◦ are walking on an excellent road, and ◦ will come without fail to drink of the water of the fountain, for they will journey a long way in a short time". . |
___________________
| . End of Discussion of Chapter 28 The Way of Perfection . |
