Simple ways to grow in prayer

The Introduction to the Devout Life, Part Second, Chapters 12- 21
Date: Monday, 16 November 2015
Group: M. Vijaya Prakash Reddy, Benjamin Gahungu, Yoshi and Jose Antonio

Summary of points discussed from several chapters in the second half of Part Second

Chapter 12, Fourth Exercise: Awareness of God’s Presence

Put yourself to the presence of God to find out how God always has his eyes turned towards us
"During the day, keep yourself in God's presence with one of the four means I indicated. He takes a look at the action of God and yours. You will find that God has always eyes turned towards you and looks at you with infinite love". In the course of the day, recall to mind the presence of God, as often as you can. Become aware of what God is doing and of what you are doing.

Chapter 13, Fifth Exercise: Longing for God Ejaculatory Prayers and good thoughts

Prayer in the form of short invocations is a way to readily converse with God while going about our business and our jobs without interruption.

"This exercise (brief prayer) does not affect the trend of the day because it can find place among the business and occupations, not cause them any harm because to collect spiritual, as in these inner impulses, is operating only small and short interruptions that do not we doing detrimental to what we are, but rather they are of benefit. The pilgrim who takes a sip of wine to lift the heart and mouth freshener, although to do that substituted a little, we cannot say that interrupts the journey 

Invocatory prayers are (for example): Lord, save me for the waters are engulfing me. Lord, set me free from the deep water. I am carried into the depths of the sea and the storm is drowning me (Ps 69:1, 15, 2). Lord keep us safe under the shadow of your wings (Ps 17:8)
These are the most important practices of devotion.

The Eucharist is the Sun of the spiritual exercises

Chapter 14, Taking part in the Holy Mass

1. The Holy Mass daily: the sun of the spiritual exercises

"The most holy and supreme Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Mass, the center of Christianity, the heart of devotion, the soul of piety, an ineffable mystery that reveals the depths of divine charity; through Eucharist God combines and communicates to us, so wonderful, his graces and gifts ".

2. Some attitudes to conveniently participate in the Holy Mass

• Know the presence of God and of our unworthiness to ask forgiveness of our sins 
• Consider with a simple, generic reflection the coming of our Lord in this world and his activities
• Reflect on the preaching of the Savior.
• Occupy the heart to the mysteries of the death and passion of our Redeemer

3. Do your best to attend Holy Mass every day. Assist the Holy Mass in the following way:

• Make a preparation
• Reflect on the coming of our Lord and his life in this word.
• Think about Our Lord’s preaching
• Be fixed on the mysteries of the suffering and death of our Lord
• Stir up a thousand longings in your heart
• Thank our Lord for His incarnation

Chapter 15, Other Public Spiritual Exercises

1. The office of liturgical hours and Vespers on Sundays and feast days: "It's the infinite spiritual sweetness, as Augustine says in his Confessions: at the beginning of conversion, witness the divine offices moved him to tears".
2. Participation in the brotherhood: "It is true that God does not force you to be part of the brotherhood, but I will recommend that the Church, to signify his desire, enriched by the indulgences and other privileges".

Chapter 16, Honoring the saints and Praying to Them

The faithful departed who are in Heaven with the Angles, and, as our Lord says, are equal to and like the angels (Lk 20:36).  

Joining the Saints better to sing the glory of God. Let us unite our hearts to these heavenly spirits and  blessed souls: how the little nightingale learns to sing while with the big, well, with this exchange with the saints, we will be able to pray and sing better the praises of God. 

A special love should be reserved to the Holy glorious Virgin Mary. Let us turn to her, throw ourselves on her knees with absolute confidence. At all times and in all circumstances, we appeal to this sweet Mother, invoking her maternal love, and making every effort to imitate her virtues. 

They bring us inspirations and they express by their holy prayers long for God. Let us unite our hearts to the heavenly spirits. Enjoy the friendship of the Angels. Make a choice of few special Saints, whose lives you can best appreciate and imitate.

Chapter 17, Hearing and Reading the Word of God

Love the word of God. Listen to it always with attention and deep respect. Receive it in your heart like a precious balm. Imitate our Lady who kept carefully in her heart all the words spoken in praise of her child (Lk 2:19). Always have with you some good book of devotion. Certainly, some biographies give more light for the guidance of our life than others.

Chapter 18, Receiving God’s Inspirations

Inspiration:

By inspirations we understand all the interior attractions, movements consciousness of wrong done and regrets for wrong doing, enlightenments and insights. He does this to awaken us, to stir us up, to urge us and to attract us to virtues. 

There are three steps leading down to sin and virtue: the attraction (temptation to sin or inspiration to virtue), the delight and the consent. An inspiration might last all our life. Accept whole heartedly all the inspirations that God may be pleased to send you.

"Before giving consent to the inspirations for the important things and extraordinary, in order not to fall into deception, always it with your guide examines whether the inspiration is true or false"

Chapter 19, Regular Confession

It is our Lord’s intention that by this Sacrament we cleanse ourselves from all our sins. Whoever yields to sin, must cleanse himself as soon as possible. Go to confession every week with humility and devotion. It is necessary to confess the sinful act, its motive and its duration.

"Philothea, never tolerate for a long time that your heart remains plagued by sin, having a remedy always ready and easy to apply. It would be better not to change often the confessor.

Chapter 20, Frequent Communion

The Savior has instituted the most glorious Sacrament of the Eucharist. Whoever eats it will live forever (Jn 6: 50-58). Therefore those who receive it frequently with devotion strengthen their spiritual life and well-being. By the power of this Sacrament of life, it is possible for us to avoid spiritual death. Therefore no one must be deprived of communion. 

Receive the communion whenever is possible. To go to Communion every week must not have mortal sins and have no affection to venial sin, and have a great desire to take Communion. But to go to Communion every day, in addition, must have passed most of the bad inclinations and have the approval of the spiritual father.

Chapter 21, Receiving Holy Communion

Begin to prepare yourself for Holy Communion, on the previous evening. Go with great confidence and humility to receive this heavenly food. Full of faith, hope and charity, receive Him. After receiving Him do homage to this King of Salvation. Receive it frequently.  

Who should receive Communion? Those who must go to Communion are “the perfect, because being well prepared, they would very wrong not to approach the source of imperfection and the imperfect, to be able to walk to perfection.”

Summary by Prakash