Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/20

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Little Office of the Holy Name, besides many prayers, devotions, psalms, hymns, and the latest indulgenced invocations and ejaculations in honor of the Most Holy Name, have been incorporated in this book; hence it may not inaptly be called Book of the Holy Name."

Nor have we failed in this little book of prayer to do what we have loved to do in all our previous works, viz., to inculcate and urge upon pious souls the frequent use of indulgenced ejaculations and invocations. St. Philip Neri says: "It is an old custom with the servants of God always to have some little prayers ready, and to be darting them up to heaven frequently during the day, lifting their minds to God out of the filth of this world. He who adopts this plan will get great fruit with little pains." St. Francis de Sales and St. Thomas Aquinas often made use of ejaculatory prayers. Every time that St. Ignatius heard the clock strike, he recollected himself and elevated his heart to God. St. Vincent de Paul observed the same pious practice . " With God " aims to foster meditation , or mental prayer, as well as vocal prayer; it is a Book of Devout Reflections; it contains a little Treasury of Winged Thoughts from Holy Writ and other sacred sources — thoughts which we may make our own by earnest and devout reflection — thoughts which, in critical moments of trial and temptation, will serve to fortify us against the allurements of the devil, the world, and the flesh, and to stimulate us, in the scorn of consequence, at all times to do what is right, and to walk unfalteringly in the way of salvation.

We beg our pious readers not to slur over or utterly disregard the introductory chapters on Vocal Prayer ,