Chapter 2 Section 4.1 – GIVE US this day our daily bread

 

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

Chapter 2  Section 4.1 – GIVE US this day our daily bread

Lest thou should imagine all these divine riches to be invisible, listen to the 4^th excellence of prayer, namely, that it is a means of obtaining daily bread for both body and soul. For it is the word of Christ our Lord himself that to one who asks of a friend 3 loaves of bread shall be liberally granted whatever he stands in need of [cf St Luke xi, 8].

But what are these loaves but food for the body, soul, and spirit?

For prayer obtains the spiritual bread of grace and devotion, which sustains and fortifies the spirit. The 2^nd loaf represents the sacramental bread in which is hidden Christ Himself, that living bread which comes down from Heaven and nourishes him who eats it; the 3^rd loaf is the corporal bread which is necessary for the sustenance of our bodily life.

But the eminence and superiority of prayer goes yet farther.

St Thomas [S. Th., II-II, Q. lxxxiii, art. 13] teaches that it has the power to become itself the food of the soul, and that with great abundance and delight….it provides us with 3 excellent loaves;

1.     the bread of truth to nourish the mind in holy meditation;

2.     the bread of charity to sustain the will by fervent affections;

3.     and the bread of fortitude by which the weakness of flesh is overcome.

From what is left over, says St Bernard [Serm. De trib. Panib. In Rogationibus], the spirit makes for itself a repast from which it arises full of energy and vigour, ready to undertake all that belongs to the service of the Lord.

 

Chapter 2 Section 3 – THY WILL be done on earth as it is in Heaven

 

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

Chapter 2  Section 3 – THY WILL be done on earth as it is in Heaven

To this 2^nd excellence of prayer is joined a 3^rd, that is it is a very efficacious means of doing the will of God on earth as it is in Heaven: for in carrying out the Divine will, consists the highest perfection to be obtained in this life. For in prayer we ask not only of God perfect submission to His will, but we actually carry it out,

By fervent prayer we strip ourselves of our own will to put on the Divine will; our love becomes so keen and perfect that it unites to God… We do on earth what the Blessed are doing in Heaven; for this reason as the holy Fathers boldly affirm…perfect prayer raises a just soul to equality with the Angels, releasing it in a certain manner from the trammels of the flesh and enabling [page 34] it to rise in spirit to heaven; casting away all superfluous cares and living in a mortal body as if it were pure spirit.

Because, says S. Chrysostom [Lib. De orando Deum], it does in a wonderful manner effect a prodigious transformation,

changing hearts of flesh into spirit,

tepidity into fervour,

human natures into divine,

and communicating to them the qualities of the Seraphim who stand [Isa. vi, 3] in the Divine presence singing the praises of God….

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 one will feel no labour in obeying the divine precepts: this is one of the greatest benefits of prayer.

For prayer may be practised at all times, and therefore at all times mayest thou obtain what is more than the whole world.

 

 

Chapter 2.2.1 THY Kingdom come - Part 2

 

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

Chapter 2.2.1 THY Kingdom come

How by prayer we impetrate and even now enjoy the Kingdom of God

In testimony of which Christ Our Lord, whilst engaged in prayer, revealed to us two advantages of this kingdom. For first we read that while He prayed heaven was opened to Him, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape as a dove upon Him, and a voice came from Heaven; Thou art my Son, in Thee I am well pleased [cf St Luke iii, 21 seq.].

What does this signify but that prayer is the key that opens the gate of Heaven that our spirit may enter and learn heavenly secrets, and that it brings down the Holy Ghost to dwell in our hearts and builds there the nest in which the heavenly dove resides, filling our souls with His gifts and graces and making us the children of God by adoption?

Again it was while he was praying that the same Lord was transfigured with great splendour and glory and was overshadowed by a bright cloud, from which came the voice of the eternal Father [Cf St Matthew 17; St Mark ix; St Luke ix].

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For as prayer implores the coming of the Kingdom, it also receives it; it merits a foretaste of the glories of Heaven; it beatifies us, first by Hope and afterwards by possession.

Prayer:

Supreme King, bestow on me the gift of prayer that I may enter Thy Kingdom and obtain the inestimable riches of Thy Grace and Thy Glory.

Amen.

Chapter 2.2. THY Kingdom come

 

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

Chapter 2.2. THY Kingdom come

How by prayer we impetrate and even now enjoy the Kingdom of God

Thy Kingdom come! Hence arises the 2^nd excellence of prayer from which we learn its prime importance: for it is the means by which the Kingdom of God comes in us, as well that which is promised in this life and which, according to the Apostle, is justice, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost [Romans xiv, 17] as that we hope for in the future when we shall reign together with God in paradise.

For prayer brings us to the first kingdom which, says Christ Himself, is within us [St Luke xvii,21] ; entering into our hearts it leads us to heaven, where we enter the second. It shows us the beauty of both, and communicates to us abundance of wisdom, that delectable spirit of wisdom and justice which, says David, is as lofty as the high mountains of God [cf. Psalm xxxv, 7]…… ……. [page 32] He calls it His house of prayer, or as we may read, the house of prayer, as much on account of His love of prayer as to show is that its fruits are not so much our own as His, and moreover, that they are fruits worthy of God.

Hence says S. John Climacus [Gradu 28], the joy that proceeds from prayer is sufficient to repay a hundredfold all that in this life we have renounced to obtain it, as well as a powerful incentive to urge us on to attain the heavenly Kingdom.

 

Chapter 2.1.1 – How God is glorified by prayer - Can anything be of greater excellence or utility than prayer?

 

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

Chapter 2.1.1 – How God is glorified by prayer

Can anything be of greater excellence or utility than  prayer?

By its means 2 most important graces are received:

1.     The Glorification of God in His creatures

2.     And that of thy own soul

Both by the glory to which it is predestined and the graces it shall obtain from Divine Providence.

Prayer:

Eternal God, glorify me with this gift of prayer, that I may glorify Thee as Thou dost deserve; then shall I be glorified in Thee and Thou in me by those gifts which Thou has decreed for me before I was made and before the creation of the world.

 

Sometimes I shall shed abundance of tears, when I realise how little glory I give to God compared with what I ought, and how His name is blasphemed among the nations; at other times I will exult with burning charity to see God glorified in just souls; sometimes, with great purity of intention I shall strive to hallow His name in all I think, say or do.

O most holy prayer, true mother of sanctity, whose Father is God Himself!

Prayer:

 

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.

Chapter 2.1 – How God is glorified by prayer

 

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

Chapter 2.1 – How God is glorified by prayer

HALLOWED BE THY NAME. The 1^st way in which the excellence of prayer shines forth is because it is one of the chief means by which the name of God is sanctified, known, and glorified by us and in us: so that by our tongues and still more by our manner of life God is glorified in us in the sight of men. For prayer obtains those heavenly lights by which the Father of Lights [James i. 17] instructs and moves men to believe in Him. It obtains the highest virtues and strength to perform heroic deeds.

 

From this St Gregory [Lib 1 Dial., c. 8] concludes and St Thomas [S. Th. II-II, Q. lxxxiii, art 2] explains at greater length that prayer is the principal means by which Divine Providence carries out what it has decreed since all eternity; for sometimes it is the case that God made the fulfilment of His decrees so depend upon prayer that without it He will not carry them out.

It was by prayer that the Fathers of the Old Covenant obtained the execution [fulfilment] of the Incarnation of the Son of God, so long promised; the Son of God Himself obtained it by prayer, according to the words of David: Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. [Psalm ii, 8]

 

 

Chapter 2 – Intro prayer - a summary of the excellence and utility of prayer

 

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

Chapter 2 – a summary of the excellence and utility of prayer

 

Prayer:

 

Supreme Father, what thanks do we not owe Thee for that Thou hast raised us to great a dignity, allowing us to appear in Thy presence as sons, conversing with Thee on earth as the angels do in Heaven.

Grant us so to correspond with this dignity that we may be pleasing in Thy sight and by its means may obtain the glorious gifts Thou dost hold out to us.

Amen