Chapter 3 Section 5.1– How prayer wrestles with distractions

 

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

Chapter 3 Section 5.1– How prayer wrestles with distractions

 

Having overcome these 3 enemies, there remains the last and most bitter conflict against the distracting imaginations and fancies that invade our mind during prayer.

For our imagination is by nature so flighty and unstable that it rushes about without leave or licence from us to think upon whatever it pleases.

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

This time of prayer destined for quiet and tranquillity they have converted into the labour and pains of distractions; these are apt to be so pertinacious that inexperienced souls often think victory in such a struggle to be impossible.

By the power of divine grace they [viz the inexperienced in prayer] acquire the same mastery over their thoughts as the centurion in the Gospel had over his soldiers. I am a man under authority, he said, having under me soldiers and I say to this Go!, and he goeth, and to another, Come! And he cometh, and to my servant, Do this!, and he doeth it [St Matthew viii, 9].

Page 58: In the same manner must thou manfully resolve to subject thy spirit in all things and through all things to God, who is thy supreme Master; by the help of His grace thou shalt gain control over all thy faculties, which are thy soldiers, and over the sense of thy body, which is thy servant. So that when thou shalt say….to thy tongue, Be silent!, immediately it will do it… In like manner, when thou orderest thy imagination to think of this or not of that, it will also comply.

This excellent peace of mind… may be to a great extent recovered even in this present life by the:

                   Efficacy of divine grace,

                   Joined to the exercise of prayer

                   Provided that thou mortify thyself

                   And give to God perfect submission and obedience

So it will come about that after, it may be, long perseverance in this warfare, thou shalt at length attain that peace of soul which prayer itself is the best means of obtaining.