Chapter 4 That prayer is the gift of God

Extracts from the Dux Spiritualis by the Ven. Louis de Ponte SJ

Page 62 –

Most Holy Spirit, I confess myself to be very ignorant and weak; I do not know how to pray as I ought, nor have I the power to do it. Assist me therefore in this hour, teach me how to pray, arouse me to make supplication, inspire me with what I ought to do; inflame my affections, draw forth those yearnings which thou alone canst communicate.

Page 63 –

Supreme Father, since in thy exceeding mercy Thou hast received me as Thy child, grant me also the gift of prayer, by which I may speak and treat with thee as with my loving Father.

Be constant in thy prayer, says S. John Climacus [Lib 2 de orando Deum], and thou shalt have God for thy Master and Director.

For just as no one can teach in words how we see with our eyes, since we do it quite naturally and without reflection: in like manner, no one can learn from the doctrine of another only, the beauty and excellence of prayer. For prayer contains in itself, in a manner of speaking, its Master, God, who teacheth man knowledge [Psalm xciii, 10] and grants the gift of prayer to him who prays. As we cannot see without the eyes: neither can anyone pray worthily without the spirit of prayer.

Section 1 page 67 – Of those to whom the spirit of prayer is imparted

Most true of all friends, whose delights are to be with the children of men [Proverbs viii, 31], and that much more since thou hast made Thyself one of them: pour out upon me in great abundance the spirit of grace and of prayer which shall make me Thy intimate friend and enjoy thy loving communication.

Section 2 page 69 – How to prepare diligently to receive this gift

Divine Spirit, all whose works are perfect, assist my weakness lest through negligence I lose those gifts which Thy love offers me.

In general we may say that for the most part God requires us to do our own part in co-operating with His grace, and so dispose ourselves to obtain its increase.

… for the success of prayer depends largely on how we prepare ourselves. Therefore S Bernard says: God will show himself to thee in the same measure that thou hast prepares thyself to appear before him [Serm 69 in Cant]. For with the holy thou shalt be holy, and with the innocent thou shalt be innocent [Psalm xvii, 26], solicitous for those who show solicitude, recollected with those who seek recollection. His grace, says S Eusebius Emesenus [Hom 3 ad relig.] will be in proportion to our diligence.

My soul, says S Augustine [In manual., 5, 24] be thou solicitous with Him who is solicitous for thee, be pure with Him who is purity itself, be holy with the source of all holiness, be recollected with Him whom nothing can distract: such as thou art with God will he be with thee. If thou show great diligence thyself to enter His presence, vey willingly will he admit thee and reward thy preparation by granting all thy desires.

Section 3 page 71 – Of the twofold preparation for prayer

The remote preparation or disposition is to regulate our life well throughout the whole course of the day, learning from the crafts and subtlety of our spiritual enemies to be ever on our guard.

Moreover, thou must endeavour to adorn thy soul with every virtue, that thou mayest be worthy and unashamed to appear before God. This was noted by Ecclesiasticus saying: They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls [Ecclus. ii, 20], showing that this remote preparation consists in flying from vice and adorning our soul with virtue.

Page 73

Most sweet Saviour, who with great zeal didst cast out of the Temple [cf St John ii,15] , those who profaned it with their merchandise because it was a house of prayer [St Matt xxi,13], and merited to be cleansed from all this defilement: cast out of the temple of my heart all that disturbs it and adorn it with gifts of Thy grace, that I may worthily enter it, there to pray and converse lovingly with Thee.

Section 6 page 74 – Proximate dispositions for prayer When thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret [St Matt. vi, 6]. This may be understood of entering into some room or private place where we may be alone, quiet and unobserved; it will greatly help forward the recollection of prayer. But the holy Fathers consider it specially applies to entering into the chamber of the heart where we are to pray to God.

Page 76

Lastly, there is no more efficacious preparation for prayer than prayer itself.

Chapter 3 Of the invicible power of prayer

Section 1 page 48 – Of wrestling in prayer with God our Lord

Father of mercies, who dost offer me this strong conflict [Wisdom x, 12] that I may overcome; suffer me not, I beseech thee, to be overcome by my sins. Unconquerable God, grant me the gift of prayer, by which I may conquer thee. For if I conquer thee, then in my other conflicts, it is thou who wilt conquer in me: thine, therefore will be the glory of the victories I shall obtain. I will wrestle with thee all the nights of this sorrowful life until, opening thy hand, thou fill me with abundance of blessings [Psalm cxliv, 16] investing me thyself with the name of Israel, by which I will see and glorify thee for all eternity. Amen.

Section 2 page 50 – How prayer wrestles with the demons

…. so S Chyrsostom [Lib 1 et 2 de orando Deum] goes on to say that the devils cringe and tremble before a soul armed with fervent prayer, nor dare approach it, being terrified by the power and fortitude it receives from prayer to conquer them.

Section 3 page 52 – How prayer wrestles with our interior enemies

Lofty indeed is the house of prayer and contemplation which thou thinkest to build; neither labour nor strength must be spared in the business. Prayer will obtain for thee all thou needest and will combat these foes until thou hast obtained complete victory over them.

If thou determine to build the house of recollected prayer and to plant the grove of lofty thoughts and fruitful labours, study first of all to remove these obstacles. Destroy the sins which give thee remorse; pluck out the passions and desires which disturb thee; cast away the superfluous cares by which thou art pricked, and root out the vain fancies which cause thee so much distraction.

Section 4 page 55 – How prayer wrestles with sins and passions

Say with S Augustine [Lib S Moral., c 28] O fountain of life, I will die that I m ay see thee; I will deny myself that I may be permitted to speak with thee: since this blessed vision and joyous colloquy may not be obtained without this kind of death [freedom from sin], in which consists true life. Grant me, Lord, to see thee indeed, that I may die to life; unless I now begin to pray and contemplate thee, and so to see thee, I cannot die to myself in order to enjoy thee.

Section 5 page 57 – How prayer wrestles with superfluous cares and distractions

How the poor soul is tortured and crucified when it strives to recollect itself in prayer! Of this holy Job complained, saying: My thoughts are dissipated, tormenting my heart; they have turned night into day [Job xvii, 11, 12.].

In the midst of this din [of distractions] which, for a time thou must endure during thy prayer, cry out as best thou can to God to silence it, saying to Him with David: Behold, God Almighty, how my heart hath forsaken me [Psalm xxxix, 13]; both because through sloth I have not guarded it as I ought; and because my vagabond imagination will not obey me.

Chapter 2 – A summary of the excellence and utility of perfect prayer

Section 1 page 31 – How God is glorified by prayer – “Hallowed be thy name”

Most holy Father, since thou desirest me to be holy, grant me the gift of prayer, which has such power to make me holy: never, never take from me the power to pray lest I lose my sanctity with it.

Section 2 page 33 – How by prayer we even now enjoy the kingdom of God – “Thy Kingdom come”

Supreme King, bestow on me the gift of prayer that I may enter the kingdom and obtain the inestimable riches of thy grace and thy glory. Amen.

Section 3 page 34 – How prayer makes us like to those who are in Heaven – “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”

If thy prayer is perfect, it will impel thee to do the Divine Will on earth as it is done in heaven; it will give thee wings so that thou shalt feel no labour in obeying the divine precepts: this is one of the greatest benefits of prayer.

Section 4 Page 36 – How prayer obtains for us spiritual and corporal refection – “Give us this day our daily bread”

Most dear Jesus, who by the mouth of prayer speakest to me these pleasant words, open my ears that I may understand them and may take prayer for my inseparable companion. Thou art the true bread of life [ St John vi, 35] which cannot rightly be eaten without the help of prayer if its full benefit is to be gained. By prayer I receive thee into my memory and ruminate thee in meditation; by affection I taste thee, by love I incorporate thee. O my soul if thou dost hunger and thirst after justice, have recourse to prayer, in which thou shalt have thy fill [St Matt v, 6].

Section 5 page 40 – How prayer delivers us from these great miseries – “Forgive us our trespasses”

O infinite power of prayer! in comparison with which any number of sins is little and their gravity light, for it can obtain the remission of any debt, were it even infinite. And because Christ Our Lord has attached to the forgiveness of our debts this condition, that we also forgive the debts of others: this prayer itself fulfils this condition… the furnace of prayer is like an immense fire; if thou enter into it, though thou be as hard and cold as iron, thou shalt come forth soft as wax.

page 38 “and lead us not into temptation”

Prayer has the power to obtain twelve legions of angels [cf St Matt xxvi, 53] who will fight for thee against the evil spirits. What say I? Angels? the Lord of Angels himself will come to our assistance; for He so loves prayer that wherever it is made He is straightway present to deliver him who prays: because he asks and knocks.

page 39 “but deliver us from evil”

O Father of mercies, bestow on me the gift of prayer, which is so certain a means of turning upon us the flood of divine mercy. Never, never deprieve me of the power to pray, lest mercy forsake me also! For I am certain that if prayer accompanies me everywhere, thy mercy will always be my protection and I shall be delivered from every evil.

Section 6 – the necessity of prayer

Divine Spirit, who hast bestowed upon us thy sevenfold gifts, that we may know how to speak to thee and how to offer thee these seven petitions [ of the Our Father ]: grant me the gift of wisdom, that I may sanctify thy name; the gift of understanding, by which I may penetrate the secrets of thy kingdom; the gift of counsel by which I may rightly see how to do thy will as it is done in Heaven; the gift of knowledge, that I may know how to seek daily bread for my spirit; the gift of piety, which will incline and move me to forgive my debtors as thou dost forgive my sins; the gift of fortitude, lest I succumb to temptations; and, lastly the gift of holy fear that I may fly every evil.

Give me a high esteem for prayer by which I may obtain all these blessings from thy infinite liberality, to the glory of thy most holy name and in eternity. Amen

Perfect prayer - Dux Spiritualis by Louis de Ponte

Section 2 page 12 – Of a pure intention and of the oblation that should accompany prayer

Eternal God, I offer thee this vessel of my heart to use just when and how it shall please thee: replenish it with thy divine gifts that I may pray with that spirit and fervour thou desireth to see in me. Amen.

Section 3 page 16 – Of intellectual consideration

Infinite God, who am I that I should dare to speak to thee? it is the greatness of thy mercy and condescension which impels my poverty to have recourse to thee; for thou art as full of mercy as I am full of misery.

Section 5 page 21 – Of petitions and colloquies

Divine lover of my soul, since thou sayest to me: Let thy voice sound in my ears; for thy voice is sweet [Canticles ii, 14], I beseech thee to let thy voice sound also in my ears, for its music is of surpassing sweetness: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth [1 Kings iii, 10] : do thou first speak that I may learn how I ought to speak with thee as I desire.

Section 6 page 24 – Of the union of quiet and perfect familiarity with God

Eternal God, whose unction teacheth of all things [1 John ii, 27], teach us the right medium to be observed in these sublime exercises, lest we either confide too much in our own industry or neglect it altogether. Teach us to confide above all in thy infinite mercy, which will supply for all defects in our industry, that so we may attain the apex of union with thee: where our spirit shall be joined with thine for all eternity.

The purpose of this blog - in praise of Louis de Ponte

AMDG 

This blog is to make more widely available the writings of the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ aka Fr Luis de la Puente. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_de_la_Puente 

He was born in 1554 and entered the Jesuit Novitate in 1574. His Spiritual writings include the Meditations on the Principal Mysteries of our Faith published in 1605. 

This blog will make available the prayers with which he ends the chapters and sub-chapters of his great spiritual work Dux Spiritualis – The Spiritual Guide. I will be quoting from the English translation of the first part of The Spiritual Guide published in 1932 under the title Of Familiar Intercourse with God in prayer. This was published by Burns Oates and Washbourne Ltd with Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur by Joseph Butt of the Archdiocese of Westminster. The work also contains an introduction by Bishop Alban Goodier SJ – http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bgoodier.html. 

Bishop Goodier says of Louis de Ponte “As the abundant references prove, De Ponte made use of the all the great authors before him: in some sense it might be said that what S Thomas Aquinas was to dogmatic theology, that De Ponte was to mystical teaching and what the Summa Theologica did for Scholasticism that the Spiritual Guide has done for mysticism.” 

The Dux Spiritualis was first published in Spanish in 1609 under the title of Guia Espiritual and it was translated into Latin by Fr Melchior Trevinno SJ in 1613. Louis de Ponte died in 1624 and his cause for Beatification was started soon afterwards.

Bishop Goodier further says: “De Ponte is recognised as a safe master and guide; so safe, that although not yet canonised his writings have been declared equal of those of the saints, and free from any bias or preference, such as is usually found in spiritual writers of whatever school.”

I hope readers will find the prayers that Louis de Ponte composed here in the first English translation published in 1932 of great use and help in their life of prayer.