The right use of Churches and Oratories. How the soul is to be directed through them unto God.

As to the guidance of the soul onwards to God through this kind of goods, I may observe that it is lawful, and even expedient, for beginners to feel a sensible pleasure in Images, Oratories, and other visible objects of devotion, because they are not yet entirely weaned from the world, so as to be able to leave the latter wholly for the former. They are like children to whom, when we want to take anything from them which they hold in one hand, we give something to hold in the other, that they may not cry, having both hands empty. The spiritual man, if he is to advance, must deny himself in

all those tastes and desires in which the will has pleasure, for

true spirituality has but slight connection with any of these things, inasmuch as it consists solely in interior recollection and mental converse with God. For though the spiritual man makes use of Images and Oratories, yet it is only as it were in passing. The mind dwells in God, forgetting all sensible objects. And though it is better to pray where there is the greatest neatness, nevertheless we should choose that place where the senses are least likely to be entertained, and the mind most likely to ascend upwards unto God. On this VOL. I. x

subject we must listen to the answer of our Lord to the Woman of Samaria. She asked Him which was the true place ~Of prayer, the mountain or the temple. He replied that true

prayer was not tied to the mountain, but that those who prayed in spirit and in truth were they who were pleasing to His Father. ‘The hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore Him. God is a spirit, and they that adore Him must adore Him in spirit and in truth.’ *

And though Churches and quiet places are set aside and prepared for Prayer—a church ought to be used for no other purpose—nevertheless, in this matter of intimate intercourse with God, that place ought to be chosen which least occupies and allures the senses. It must, therefore, not be a place agreeable and delightful to sense, such as some people search for, lest instead of serving to recollection of mind, it minister

to the recreation and satisfactions of sense. For this end,

it is well to make choice of a solitary and even wild spot, so that the mind may ascend firmly and directly to God, without hindrance or detention on the part of visible things. Visible things sometimes, it is true, help to elevate the soul, but it is when they are instantly forgotten, and the spirit

Teposes ON God. For this reason our Saviour, in general, chose to pray in solitary places, where there were no attractions for the senses — herein giving us an example — but which tended to lift up the soul to God, such as mountains, which are elevated spots, and generally barren, furnishing no resources for sensible recreation.

He, therefore, who is truly spiritual looks only to interior recollection in oblivion of all things, and for that end chooses a place that is most free from all visible sweetness and at-

* §, John iy, 23, 24,

tractions, withdrawing his thoughts from all that surrounds him, so that in the absence of created things, he may rejoice in God alone. It is wonderful how some spiritual persons are wholly intent on arranging their oratories, and providing places for prayer suited to their tastes and inclinations, and making little or nothing of interior recollection, which is the really important matter. If they attended to this, these arrangements of theirs would have been to them not pleasure but mere weariness.