My Prayer Book_LASANCE - the Catholic Kingdom!

Lines at a time from "The Following of Christ"; then
meditate, reflect, consider our own conduct in connection
with the subject treated, make devout acts and
pious resolutions, and finally pray to God for His grace
that we may conquer our wicked inclinations, practise
some particular virtue, and lead a holy life. After
this we can read a few more lines; then meditate again.
Bishop Challoner in his translation of "The Following
of Christ" or "The Imitation of Christ," as this
golden book is sometimes called, has added some
excellent pmtical rejlectiars at the end of each chapter.
"Meditation," as Madame Cecilia says in her admirable
work, "At the Feet of Jesus,"-"consists in
occupying ourselves mentally and prayerfully with
some mystery of the Faith. We call to mind the chief
facts, ponder over them, and then stir up our will to
regulate our conduct in consequence. Hence meditation
is an exercise of the faculties of our soul - memory,
understanding, and dl."
"Meditation, as a part of nmzfal prayer," says St.
Francis of Sale., "is an attentive thought voluntarily
repeated or entertained in the mind to excite the will lo
hdy and salufury affeclwns and rcsolufiotts." It differs
from mere study in its object. \Ve study to improve
our minds and to store up information; we meditate
to move the wiU to pray and to embrace what is good.
We study that we may know; we meditate that we
may pray.
"In mental prayer," says St. Alphonsus, "meditation
is the needle. which only passes through that it
may draw after it the golden ihread, whic5 is composed
of affections, resolutions, and petitions."
As soon as you feel an impulse to pray while meditating,
give way to it at once in the best way you can, by
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