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 in the  Mass,  in  the  liturgy,  and  in  the  divine  office. She has enriched  many  vocal  prayers  with  numerous  indulgences, and  has  approved  of  many  prayer-books  filled with prayers  suited  to  every  want  and  devotion. Vocal prayer, then,  is  both  useful  and  necessary  for  all  men without exception — even  for  those  who  are  soaring  in the  heights  of  contemplation. In reciting  vocal  prayers, we should  strive  to  attend  to  the  meaning  of  the  words, appropriating it  to  ourselves  with  all  possible  fervor  and earnestness. A few  short  vocal  prayers  well  said  are  far more acceptable  to  God  than  a  great  many  long  ones recited without  attention  or  fervor.

One of  the  best  forms  of  vocal  prayer  is  the  frequent recitation during  the  day  of  some  favorite  aspiration  or ejaculatory  prayer,  especially  if  we  do  so  in  time  of  trial and temptation. This commendable  practice  gradually imparts a  habit  of  recollection,  and  renders  all  other prayers comparatively  easy  and  free  from  distraction. We should,  as  far  as  practicable,  prefer  reciting  those vocal prayers  which  the  Church  has  enriched  with  indulgences, for  we  thereby  gain  a  twofold  advantage — the benefit of  the  beautiful  and  devout  prayers  themselves, and the  indulgences,  which  help  us  to  acquit  ourselves of the  great  temporal  debt  which  we  have  contracted towards the  divine  justice  on  account  of  our  numerous sins. Or we  may  also  apply  said  indulgences,  when  so applicable,  to  the  souls  in  purgatory,  who  will  be  relieved thereby and  will  not  fail  to  intercede  for  us  in  our  wants.

It would  be  well  to  join,  to  a  certain  extent,  mental prayer with  our  vocal  prayers,  for  the  merit  of  the  latter would be  thereby  greatly  increased. We may  do  so  in this  wise. During the  recitation  of  our  vocal  prayers we pause  at  short  intervals  to  reflect  either  on  their  meaning or  on  some  supernatural  truth;  or,  without  at  all pausing, we  reflect  thereon  while  actually  pronouncing the prayers  with  our  lips. The rosary  is  the  most  common and  readily  understood  example  of  this  manner  of