Volume 37 · pp. 536–537
Chapter XIII. The quality and utility of prayer, and how the heart is to be gathered back within itself?
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Caput XIII. Orationis qualitas et utilitas: et quomodo cor sit recolligendum intra se?
Praeterea, cum ad haec et ad quaecumque alia bona omnino simus ex nobis insufficientes, nec aliquid de nobis ipsi Domino Deo (a quo solo omne bonum) exhibere possumus, quod non sit prius suum, solo uno excepto, quod superest, quemadmodum ipse per se benedicto suo ore etiam et exemplo nos instruere dignatus est, ut videlicet in omni casu et eventu ad ipsam orationem recurramus, sicut rei, miseri, pauperes, mendici, infirmi, inopes, subditi, servi, et filii, ac totaliter in nobis ipsis desolati, humillima mentis prostratione, in timore et amore, recollecte et composite, maturo, vero, nudoque affectu erubescentiae, cum magnitudine desiderii et ardore, necnon in gemitu cordis, et simplicitate et sinceritate mentis, supplicemus et exponamus ipsi plena cum fiducia undique nobis imminentia pericula; ita dumtaxat, ut expedite, secure, et nude nos ei totaliter usque ad ultimum fideliter committamus, et offeramus, tamquam vere et per omnia sui, nihil nobisipsis reservantes, ut impleatur in nobis illud beati patris Isaac, qui loquitur de hac ipsa oratione, dicens: « Tunc erimus unum in Deo, et Dominus Deus erit in nobis omnia in omnibus et solus, quando illa sua perfecta dilectio, qua prior ille nos dilexit, in nostri quoque cordis transierit affectum. » Quod ita fiet, cum nobis omnis amor, omne desiderium, omne studium, omnis conatus, denique omnis cogitatio nostra, omneque quod videmus, loquimur, quodque speramus, Deus erit, illaque unitas quae nunc est Patris cum Filio, et Filii cum Patre, in nostrum fuerit sensum mentemque transfusa: ut quemadmodum ille nos sincera et pura atque indissolubili charitate diligit, nos quoque ei perpetua et inseparabili dilectione jungamur: ita scilicet eidem copulati, ut quidquid speramus, quidquid intelligimus, quidquid loquimur et oramus, Deus sit.
Chapter XIII. The quality and utility of prayer, and how the heart is to be gathered back within itself?
Furthermore, since for these things and for whatever other goods we are wholly insufficient from ourselves, and we can show nothing from ourselves to the Lord God himself, from whom alone is every good, that is not first his own, with one thing alone excepted, which remains, as he himself through himself, by his blessed mouth and also by example, deigned to instruct us: namely that in every case and event we should recur to prayer itself, as accused, miserable, poor, beggars, infirm, needy, subjects, servants, and sons, and totally desolate in ourselves. With most humble prostration of mind, in fear and love, recollectedly and composedly, with mature, true, and bare affection of shame, with greatness of desire and ardor, and also in groaning of heart and simplicity and sincerity of mind, let us supplicate and expose to him with full trust the dangers threatening us from every side. This is only so that readily, securely, and nakedly we may faithfully commit and offer ourselves totally to him down to the last thing, as truly and in all respects his own, reserving nothing for ourselves, so that there may be fulfilled in us that saying of the blessed father Isaac, who speaks of this very prayer, saying: « Then we shall be one in God, and the Lord God will be in us all things in all and alone, when that perfect love of his, by which he first loved us, has passed also into the affection of our heart. » This will happen in such a way when every love, every desire, every study, every effort, finally every thought of ours, and everything that we see, speak, and hope, will be God for us; and when that unity which now belongs to the Father with the Son and the Son with the Father has been poured into our sense and mind, so that just as he loves us with sincere and pure and indissoluble charity, we also may be joined to him by perpetual and inseparable love: namely, joined to him in such a way that whatever we hope, whatever we understand, whatever we speak and pray, may be God.
Haec ergo intentio, hic conatus, et finis spiritualis hominis esse debet, ut imaginem futurae beatitudinis in hoc corruptibili corpore possidere mereatur, et quodammodo arrham illius coelestis beatitudinis et conversationis et gloriae incipiat in hoc saeculo praegustare. Hic, inquam, finis totius perfectionis est, ut eo usque extenuata mens ab omni situ carnali, ad spiritualia quotidie sublimetur, donec omnis conversatio, omnisque voluntas cordis, una et jugis efficiatur oratio. Cumque ita mens, deposita faece terrena, ad Deum, in quo solo semper defixa debet esse intentio spiritualis hominis, respiraverit (cui ab illo summo bono vel parva separatio, mors praesens ac perniciosissimus interitus est credendus) praemissaque fuerit tranquillitate fundata, vel ab omnium carnalium passionum nexibus absoluta, et illi uni summoque bono tenacissima adhaesit intentione, Apostolicum illud implebit: Sine intermissione orate 1. Et: Orate in omni loco, levantes puras manus, sine ira et disceptatione 2. Hac enim puritate (si dici potest) sensu mentis absorpto, ac de terreno situ ad spiritualem sive angelicam similitudinem transformato, quidquid in se receperit, quidquid tractaverit, quidquid egerit, purissima atque sincerissima oratio erit.
Haec proinde si continuaveris indisrupte, quemadmodum usque ab initio disseruimus, erit tibi in tua introversione et recollectione jam facile ac promptum contemplari ac frui, sicut vivere in natura.
Therefore this intention, this effort, and this end ought to belong to the spiritual man: that he may deserve to possess the image of future beatitude in this corruptible body, and in a certain manner begin in this age to foretaste the pledge of that heavenly beatitude and way of life and glory. This, I say, is the end of all perfection: that the mind, thinned away from every carnal condition, may be daily raised to spiritual things to such an extent, until every way of life and every will of the heart becomes one continual prayer. And when the mind has thus, with the earthly dregs laid aside, breathed again toward God, in whom alone the intention of the spiritual man ought always to be fixed, and for whom even a small separation from that highest good must be believed to be present death and most destructive destruction; and when founded tranquility has been sent ahead, or the mind has been absolved from the bonds of all carnal passions, and has adhered with most tenacious intention to that one and highest good, it will fulfill that apostolic saying: Pray without ceasing 1. And: Pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, without anger and dispute 2. For by this purity, if it can be said, when the sense of the mind has been absorbed and transformed from an earthly condition to a spiritual or angelic likeness, whatever it has received into itself, whatever it has handled, whatever it has done, will be most pure and most sincere prayer.
Accordingly, if you continue these things uninterruptedly, as we have discussed from the beginning, it will now be easy and ready for you in your inward turning and recollection to contemplate and enjoy, just as to live in nature.
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