Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/271

 firmly persuaded  that  thou  art  here  present,  and  I adore  thee  from  the  depths  of  my  nothingness.”

Then humble  yourself  before  God,  saying: “ O my God,  too  often  have  I offended  thee. I am sorry  for All my  sins. Pardon me  in  thy  infinite  mercy.”

Lastly, pray  God  to  enlighten  you: “ Eternal Father! for the  love  of  Jesus  and  of  Mary,  enlighten me in  this  meditation,  in  order  that  I may  profit by it.”

“ In meditating  with  a book,”  says  St.  Francis  of Sales,  “we  should  imitate  bees,  which  stay  on  a flower so long  as  it  affords  them  honey,  and  then  pass  on  to another. Use good  thoughts  in  the  same  way,  yourself. Some will  be  richer  in  honey  for  you — such honey as  suits  your  present  condition; other thoughts, good  in  themselves,  will  seem  to  afford you less. Receive the  little  gratefully,  and  pass  on to  the  next  flower  to  make  another  effort. It is  the endeavour to  be  industrious  that  God  will  take delight in.”

The subject  of  meditation  should  generally  be calculated  to  awaken  us  to  a confidence  in,  and  love of, God. Let your  meditation  on  the  eternal  truths themselves be  of  such  a nature  as  to  lead  you  gently to love  and  glorify  God,  and  confide  in  him. Let your quiet  endeavour  be  to  draw  yourself  into  affections of  the  heart,  rather  than  into  reflections  of  the mind. Reflection is  the  means  only,  affection  the end. Not only  commence  your  meditation  with recollection and  peace,  but  without  anxiety  or  superfluous fears  of  distraction. “The best  of  prayers,” said St.  Francis  of  Sales,  “is  that  in  which  we  keep ourselves in  peace  and  calmness  in  the  presence  of our  Lord,  without  other  desire  or  pretension  than that of  being  with  him  and  doing  his  will.”  The  child