CHAPTER VI

MENTAL PRAYER

At this point, in view of such a divine contemplation as we see ravishing poet and prophet, a certain soul addresses us in these terms: "Listen to the latest from Ruysbroeck: 'You must, besides, cleave to God with the activity of love. It must be a fire at white heat, burning, inextinguishable; the ardour which burns, opens the spirit. You must lose yourself in the sacred darkness, where fruition delivers man from himself; and he cannot find himself in a human way. Light is given in the simple essence of the spirit where man receives it, far above all gifts, in the void of fruition that has delivered man from himself. The contemplative, in that vastness where he reposes, sees nothing, feels nothing save the light itself, a certain incomprehensible splendour. Happy the eye which sees so! The just man who has built his life on peace and action raises an everlasting monument. By the force of love the spirit raises itself above all movements in Unity itself."" The writer continues: "I am going to buy all this at any cost!"

Here was a soul that had long before been attracted by the better gifts, and the portion of Benjamin, "best beloved of the Lord." This portion of Benjamin has been understood to typify the higher walks of contemplation. Richard of St. Victor, treating of higher prayer in two works, entitled them respectively Benjamin Minor and Benjamin Major.

1 Deut. 33. 12.

So, to answer questions and observations on these matters, we may draw material from Richard of St. Victor and his great master, Hugh of St. Victor, two mediæval theologians and mystics, whose school St. Thomas Aquinas followed, and all later mystical writers have kept in view. Hugh, a writer no less profound in thought than brilliant in style, was apparently a Saxon; and, like St. Augustine, he has thrown some of his writings into the form of a dialogue. Richard was a "Scot," whether of Ireland or Scotland does not appear. His acumen was worthy of his origin, and his spiritual insight was not less worthy of the Isle of Saints.

Under the name, and along with the sterling gold of such masters, whether Saxon, Scottish or Irish, we may presume to pass off some currency of a more recent date, not less sterling though issued later from the mint. The form of dialogue, favoured by Hugh of St. Victor and by St. Augustine, commends itself as a compendious way for despatching quickly a number of queries, and applying the proper critical formulas to many doubtful propositions. Thus, conversing with Benjamin, we shall be answering the observations of one at whose request these pages are written.

BENJAMIN. When the experiences of my soul are analogous to those I read of, does it mean that they are on the same level?

ST. VICTOR. As to experiences, let Richard of St. Victor define them. We advance gradually, he says, and we are led to the practice of perfection, by several kinds of experience; that is to say, by application to work, by application to meditation, and by application to prayer. By the mere fact of working, of being up and doing, we experience much; by

searching in meditation we find out much; and by praying we extort much.

Now as to your question, what such experiences amount to in the spiritual life, I answer that, when you are on this path, you are on the way to perfection, understanding it better, practising it more, and negotiating further progress with the help of God. You have experience, discernment, and something to show for your pains. And, as the whole spiritual life is one ascending series of acts, steps and mansions, a clear analogy of substantial likeness amid much unlikeness runs through the scale of experiences from top to bottom, and from bottom to top. Beginners can apprehend things belonging to the perfect; for things are alike, though at different levels; they show different degrees of intensive beauty, while the groundwork of the plan is the same. The plan within us is all one; that of mind, heart and memory, with their many adornments of faith, hope and charity. The plan without us likewise is all one; for we see the whole world about us, above, below and beneath, all wrapped up in the likenesses of analogy. The Wise Man comprises the Maker Himself of the world in the wonderful connection of all things, so like and so unlike; for he says: "By the greatness of the beauty of the things made the Maker of them is seen analogously"; as the Septuagint's word is, "analógōs." 1 Hence, in answer to your question, I say briefly, the simplest soul that says its prayers has an intuition of spiritual heights and depths. Less light or more, to see more or less by, makes no difference in kind, but only in degree. Puro cernamus intuitu," says the Church on behalf of all: "May we see with a pure intuition."

1Wisd. (LXX), 13. 5; Vulgate: cognoscibiliter.

BENJAMIN. Less light! Then one is less advanced if not in those higher walks of contemplation?

ST. VICTOR. That does not follow. Do not confound the perfection of virtue with the perfection of prayer or contemplation. You might be very perfect in virtue, and yet have nothing to do with the favours infused in mystic prayer. These favours are rays of light direct, when God chooses to cleave the clouds lying so heavily on our minds, and to infuse gifts of special insight for reasons of His own. Even for the knowledge of Christian faith, which it is enjoined upon every one to acquire and profess, there is need of a special grace and light infused. Thus Christ said of faith in His own divinity: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven." 1

We are very dull and materialized creatures, owing to the control of sense and imagination over us. We are dazzled by things above. No wonder! In the bright rays of a natural object like the Sun we are forced to shade our eyes. How much more is our intellect overpowered by the splendour of God's being, which is above all nature! Thus Job said of his own religious sentiment: "I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and the weight of Him I could not bear." 2

Hence for things supernatural there is always need of power infused, the grace of light and the grace of strength. But, when God wishes something very special to be understood, something quite beyond the usual sweep of His supernatural providence, He has still to infuse special powers and a strength of mind corresponding. This is what we have seen done with the prophets, and with the 2 Job 31. 23.

1 Matt. 16. 17.