- On Prayer
St. Francis de Sales:
“We must strive to seek in God only love of His beauty and not pleasure found in the beauty of His love. If someone prays to God and perceives that he is praying, he is not perfectly attentive to his prayer. He diverts his attention from God to whom he prays in order to think of the prayer by which he prays. Our very care not to have distractions often serves as a very great distraction. In spiritual actions simplicity is preferred.”
St. Jane picks up on the element of simplicity and says,
“A good artifice for prayer is simplicity with God. By this way the soul is conformed and made like its God, Who is a most pure, holy and simple Spirit. Blessed are the souls that let themselves be led entirely as God draws them and follow His attraction in simplicity of heart. They cut off from their mind all curiosity, discussion and desires of seeing their own perfection. God wills we should do nothing but love His sovereign goodness and leave ourselves simply and wholly like a little child naked in the arms of its dearest mother.”
Prayer has always been St. Jane’s favorite topic of discussion. She also has some good advice for us when we find it difficult to pray. She says,
“My child, when distractions do not go away, even though you reject them, you must then make the prayer of patience and humbly say the Our Father, or some loving words, as: My good Lord, You are the only support of my soul, You are my rest, and my delight. Even though I shall die, I will not stop loving You by the help of Your grace.”