Chapter 1 – Section 5.3 – Of the union of quiet and perfect familiarity with God – Freedom in prayer under the Holy Spirit

 

Extracts from the Dux Spiritualis by the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ

Chapter 1 – Section 5.3 – Of the union of quiet and perfect familiarity with God – Freedom in prayer under the Holy Spirit

Page 23 –

The rules and instructions we are about to give are to be read in such a way as not to impede the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit who is the chief teacher of prayer, and who knows what best suits each soul and by what way it should be led; they must not be followed slavishly, and their order may freely be changed.

Page 24 – Prayer

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 the defects in our industry, that we may attain the apex of union with Thee: where our spirit shall be joined with Thine for all eternity. 

Chapter 1 – Section 5.2 – Of the union of quiet and perfect familiarity with God - Jacob's ladder

 

Extracts from the Dux Spiritualis by the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ

Chapter 1 – Section 5.2 – Of the union of quiet and perfect familiarity with God - Jacob's ladder 

Let us here remark that those whom Jacob saw ascending and descending [Genesis xxviii, 12] were angels: they did not ascend by flight, nor by passing over several rungs in one stride, but taking them one by one with due gravity and deliberation; they descended in the same way, without ever interrupting their progress.

What is all this for but to teach thee:

1^st that those who strive by the holy exercise of prayer to attain the summit of this mystical ladder ought to be angels in all that belongs to purity of life; putting off all earthly affections and desiring to imitate the sanctity of these pure spirits.

2^nd Then not to presume to ascend to the heights of contemplation and supreme union with God by one flight, but first to exercise themselves quietly and patiently in those acts which dispose to it, remaining in each as long as is needful to attain its perfection.

3^rd that from time to time it is necessary to descend to examine how we have conducted ourselves in each degree, and by reflection to discover our imperfections, and see how we have carried out our good purposes.

4^th In the fourth place, these exercises must be continued without cessation or interruption. Do not however let thyself be discouraged if thou find thyself far from being an Angel, or a long way from the top of the ladder.

For prayer itself has this virtue that it changes men into Angels and helps them to ascend all its degrees.

Even though in this life thou shalt fail to attain the summit yet thou shalt not be defrauded of great fruit from thy labours. Because even the lowest degree of prayer is of great value.

Chapter 1 – Section 5.1 – Of the union of quiet and perfect familiarity with God - St Bernard on Prayer

 

Extracts from the Dux Spiritualis by the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ

Chapter 1 – Section 5.1 – Of the union of quiet and perfect familiarity with God - St Bernard on Prayer 

 

Page 22 –

S. Bernard [Ad fratres de Monte Dei, post medium] defines perfect prayer as a stable affection by which man is joined to God, as a familiar conversation with Him, or as a state of the soul illuminated from above and which enjoys this embrace as long as God wills.

The words spoken,

The secrets revealed,

The power received,

The Spiritual riches bestowed

Can only be understood by those who experience them.

Strive then, with all thy might, to ascend this holy ladder with such fervour that thou mayest attain its summit: perchance then thou wilt be privileged to taste these favours.

AMDG - The purpose of this blog - in praise of the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ

 

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.

Chapter 1 – Section 4 – Of petitions and colloquies

 

Extracts from the Dux Spiritualis by the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ

Chapter 1 – Section 4 – Of petitions and colloquies

 

To these affections must be joined a 5^th act which is the elevation of thy whole Soul and heart that thou mayest, according to the expression of David, pour it out before God [cf Ps. lxi, 9: 1 Kings I, 15], laying open before Him thy necessities and desires with loving petitions and colloquies, imploring Him with full confidence to hear thee and grant thy requests. This is why St John Damascene calls prayer

a petition for those things which beseem the service of God –

{Oratio est petitio decentium a Deo} [Lib. 3 fidei cap. 14], in which various claims and motives may be brought forward, not so much to incline Him to listen to us, as to stir up our own will to ask with such fervour and confidence that we may deserve to be heard.

Do not think that these petitions and requests must be deferred to the end of thy prayer; mingle them rather with the other acts of which we have spoken.

Page 20 – Colloquies

Take notice that in this colloquy God and Man have different ends in view.

For, says St Thomas [S. Th., I, Q. I, c.7, art 3], thou speakest to God, not to tell Him something of which He is ignorant, nor to give Him anything he does not already possess; but rather to acquire some knowledge, virtue or grace of which thou art in want.

But when God speak to thee by His holy inspirations, He does not do so to receive from thee anything which He does not possess, but to communicate to thee His own riches.

Page 21 – Prayer

Divine Lover of my soul, since Thou sayest to me: Let thy voice sound in my ears; for thy voice is sweet [Cant. ii,14], I beseech Thee to let thy voice sound in my ears for it is 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.

 

 

 

Chapter 1 – Section 4 – Of the activities and affections of the Will

 

Extracts from the Dux Spiritualis by the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ

Chapter 1 – Section 4 – Of the activities and affections of the Will

 

The understanding being now thoroughly aroused by the consideration of these truths, we come to the 4^th  part of prayer which is to raise thy will above all earthly considerations, and above thyself to pure and fervent acts and affections towards heavenly things and to thy God and thy saviour Jesus Christ, loving Him more than thyself and more than all things created, determining with a firm and efficacious will to obey Him fervently in all that He either commands or inspires.

These affections ought always to accompany meditation: otherwise thou wilt gain little profit. For thy understanding only gains a knowledge of the truth, the virtues must be exercised by the will:

the mind takes this heavenly food into the mouth,

the will tastes and assimilates it;

the understanding discovers hidden treasure,

the will embraces it and enjoys its riches.

Wisdom enters the mind but only the will can make us holy, and it is the work of both together to establish us in sanctity.

Page 17 – Hence it sufficiently appears how greatly those are deceived who pass the whole time of prayer in considerations, forgetting to excite the affections of the will.

Page 18 – Prayer

Eternal God, I know and confess Thee to be mercy itself, while I am nothing but misery. What more do I need to know, or why should I reason further?

I come here into Thy Presence that Thou mayest take pity on my wretchedness and fill me with Divine mercy.

 

If, by reason of my tepidity, this fire does not flame out in thy mediation [cf. Psalm xxxviii, 4], let thy will, using its liberty, move thy affections the best way that it can; for it often happens, says the Wise man, that of one spark cometh a great fire [Ecclus. xi, 34], from one affection proceeds a great flame of love, which, flamed by the wind of divine inspiration, sets the whole heart on fire.