If you want to get on the narrow road and squeeze through that narrow gate then you must practice Meditation and Mental Prayer and this Catholic Journal will help you.
This Journal teaches you about the necessity of Catholic Mental Prayer; for the saints assure us, that Mental Prayer, is morally necessary for salvation.
This Journal invites you to practice Meditation, and Contemplation it teaches you the methods used by the saints to achieve Mental Prayer which establishes a strong connection with the heart of the Divine.
In Silence, Mental Prayer, is God’s way of helping the soul to overcome mortal sin and venial sin and even eradicate the ‘tendency’ toward sin.
St John of the Cross tells us: “God desires the smallest degree of purity of conscience in you, more than all the works you can perform”.
Practicing the “Presence of God” is part of the Meditation process.
The Journal will keep recalling you to practice this spiritual art.
The goal then is to overcome your “Predominant Fault”. Because loving God so much you want to do His will, which is to know, love and serve Him here on earth and to be happy with Him for ever in Heaven.
“If you love me, keep my commandments.”
Why then do the saints contend that Mental prayer, is morally necessary for salvation? Why “morally” necessary? Because coming so close to God in Mental Prayer our smallest faults are magnified in the light of His loving grace. Without Mental Prayer this doesn’t happen.
St Alphonsus Liguori tells us, “In the first place, without mental prayer the soul is without light.”
St. Augustine that those who, “Keep their eyes shut cannot see the way to their country. The eternal truths are all spiritual things that are seen, not with eyes of the body, but with the eyes of the mind; that is, by reflection and consideration. Now, they who do not make mental prayer do not see these truths, neither do they see the importance of eternal salvation, and the means which they can adopt in order to obtain it.”
St Teresa of Avila tells us: “Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.” Again: – “If you love me, keep my commandments”
In days, months, years to come your Journal will be a document you can use to remind yourself, of lessons learned. It is easy to forget those light bulb moments when the words of Christ become real and resonate with our soul. Documenting these incidents is imperative in building a relationship with God. Reviewing these graces gives opportunity for thanksgiving and recommitment to God.
The Journal helps with setting up a “rule of life”. Journaling about your Meditations allows you to plot and plan your prayer journey into the Heart of God. It stops you wandering about aimlessly in your mind.
Committing to it’s use awakens you from spiritual drowsiness. This is how you overcome the rattling brain. The never ending imaginary conversations and the inane speculations.
“What then can arouse us from this wretched sluggishness, if not the practice of mental prayer? Little by little mental prayer well made will render our faith more lively, will strengthen our convictions, will penetrate us deeply with the things of God, will keep the supernatural always present to our mind.” (Vitalis LehodeyOCR)