Chapter 87: A prayer concerning the cheerful praise of the Angels in Heaven, and for obtaining the grace of devotion in the Divine Office

O HOLY Spirit, the Paraclete, of all teachers the wisest, of all physicians the most perfect, with one word and in a single moment You can make the ignorant wise, and can perfectly heal all infirmities whether of body or of soul. Mercifully assist me, I beseech You, everywhere and always; and in my prayers, in my meditations, and when I am singing or reading, graciously pour into my heart the spirit of true devotion, so that I may be able to say my Hours, as I should wish, with devotion and attention; for without You all prayer must be fruitless and unworthy of being heard by God, and without You I can do no good thing Whereinsoever, therefore, I fall short by reason of my infirmity, do You supply for me by Your grace. Against the terrors of the night, and the temptations of the devil, grant me the gift of faith, and defend me with the sign of the Holy Cross as with an impregnable shield, that the cruel enemy, who here and everywhere lays snares for my soul, may not prevail against me. When I weary of the long night vigils, or of the Lessons, longer perhaps than usual, give me grace to remember how great are the rewards in heaven which I have now a chance of gaining. When the days of abstinence from food and drink are many, give me the power to fast, and good health to enable me to carry on my work; give me pardon for the sins which I have committed, keep me from falling into them again, relieve me from the punishment they have deserved, and give me a good hope of everlasting happiness with the elect in the Kingdom of God. When I am dull and lazy during the recital of the Divine Office, rouse me by the words of David inspired by the Holy Ghost, sung to the music of psaltery and harp; and disclose to me the manna which underlies the dry letter of the words, and the precious spices which are stored in a casket of small account. Many secret things, rightly hidden from the lazy and the inattentive, are plainly to be seen by him who prays devoutly and meditates thoughtfully. If at Matins I am drowsy, pluck me smartly by the ear, that I may lose no time in waking to hear what the Lord would say to me in the Holy Scripture which is being read, and in the hymns and canticles which are being sung; that so my heart may be lifted up to my God in Heaven, and I may forget those things which are being done on earth.

Keep me from a sluggish habit of body, and open the ear of my heart, that so with my mind as in a trance I may be permitted by Your all-sufficient help, to behold the secret things of Heaven, and to hear the voices of the holy Angels devoutly hymning and praising God seated upon the Throne of the Majesty on high. Oh that I were one of them in Heaven, and could join them in their song of, " Holy, Holy, Holy!" They never tire, they never cease to sing their Maker's praise; and because they are full of the Holy Ghost they are on fire with love, they glitter like snow in its whiteness, they give forth sweet scent like spices, their chant is joyful, smooth and sweet. They intone evenly; they join in heartily; they keep time; they sing with voices full of love; the joy on their countenances is pleasant to behold; they are, as it were, beside themselves in God.

Who could grow weary or fall asleep in choir, if he kept constantly in mind the blessed and exceeding joy of the Angels in Heaven? Who would not be kept wide awake by the resonance of those celestial organs, and the harmony of those numberless musicians, singing as with one voice, " Holy, Holy, Holy, for ever and ever, world without end"? And when the very doors of heaven shake upon their hinges with the ringing shout of Angels, shall worms of earth be silent? When the very stones of the heavenly temple cry aloud, and the nine celestial Orders shout to God for joy, shall monks and nuns fall asleep? Even the sun and moon serve God by giving forth their light, and will you sleep? God forbid! "Awake, you just," says blessed Paul, "and sin not." Be ashamed, then, of falling asleep, of being lazy; let there be no hurry, no discord, but with all reverence and devotion stand in your places and sing to the glory of God; offer with one accord the sacrifices of joyous shouts of thankfulness. The praise of joyful lips is well-pleasing to God, provided that, for the outward part, the voices are as one, and for the inward part, the minds are pure and attentive. That which at a feast gives most pleasure, that which to a musical entertainment gives most sweetness, is harmony of voice, cheerfulness of countenance, and honesty of life.

How delightful and how sacred is that Congregation v/herein the Holy Ghost is present as Master, and among the brethren are found love in the heart, truth on the lips, dutifulness in the work, and peace everywhere; no dissimulation, no fear of being deceived. Such an one is a perfect brotherhood, one which can never be disturbed by quarrels, can never be discouraged in its work, can never be overcome by misfortune, " because the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost"; and He is given to the humble, to the contrite, to the needy, to the gentle, to the peace-makers, and to those who, whether by day or by night, are ready for every good work and the praise of God. These are the works of the Holy Ghost, Who to this day works in his faithful ones many good works, " dividing to every one according as He will; " if only they prepare themselves for receiving His grace, and keep diligent watch over their hearts in every thought and act. A great and arduous task it is to keep the heart from wandering in prayer, and to fix the mind upon God in meditation. But though our spirit often plays us false, is led astray of evil, and inclines to vanity; yet the Holy Ghost comes back to us, reproves our heart, makes it contrite, wounds it, anoints it, and heals it. He Himself teaches us, and He enlightens us; He humbles us by our daily shortcomings; He raises us up again by inward consolations: H^e waters our heart by frequent prayer, and cleanses it by bitter groanings.

O God the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, the Ruler, and the Guardian of the faithful; Absolver of sinners, Restorer of innocence, and Comforter of the sorrowful; O merciful and gracious Lord Paraclete, most loving Comforter of the fainthearted, ever, I beseech You, turn that which is evil in me into good, and that which is good into that which is better; turn my mourning into joy; my wandering feet into the right path; my ignorance into knowledge of the truth; my lukewarmness into zeal; my fear into love; all my material good into a spiritual gift; all my earthly desires into heavenly; all that is transient into that which lasts for ever; everything human into that which is Divine; everything created and finite into that sovereign, infinite, and immeasurable Good, Which You Yourself are, O my God, and my Saviour.

O my God, my true and everlasting Salvation, keep me, I pray You, from present wrong-doing; forgive me that which is past; and deliver me from the perils which may beset me in the time to come, by a large outpouring upon me of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which on this day You did shed forth into the hearts of the Apostles, blessing them abundantly, and sending them forth to preach Your Word among all nations. Amen.