“If we assume that grace cannot operate because of distractions, then we run the risk of saying that distractions are more powerful than Grace. Grace is defined as Divine life. Divine life cannot be reduced by any human distraction.”
Grace is defined as a “share” in Divine life, and one only recieves the share he is predisposed to recieve.
If your mind is off in the wild blue yonder, you’re probably not very likely to receive much grace.
My dearest brother:
The grace that we receive is not dependent on us, but on God’s mercy. It is true that we must be predisposed to receive his grace; but this means but we must make ourselves available.
It is one thing to deliberately seek other objects of attention while at prayer, liturgical or other, and to be involuntarily distracted. Involuntary distractions happen to anyone in any circumstances.
What the individual who is looking for true and mystical union with the Divine must do is to bear up with these involuntary distractions by recognizing that they exist and continuing on the path of contemplation.
The path of contemplation is not an easy one; but it is for everyone. Regardless of where one is, the Eucharist must be the total object of our love and attention. When our attention is directed elsewhere, here is an opportunity to present to God our own weakness and to join it to the sacrifice of Christ on the altar of love.
Rather than try to avoid the distraction by staying away from the daily Eucharist, we must do as St. Teresa advices. We must recognize that the problem is not with the distraction, but with the distracted.
Therefore, we must intensify our prayer and unite our distractions to the sacrifice of the cross.
Of course, if the OP had access to the Extraordinary Form for daily mass, the matter would probably be simpler. But as that is not the case, then there is no other solution but to continue where one can come to true union with Christ and his Church, despite the human element. God is conscious of our circumstances and of our heart’s desire.
I am sure that those souls who prefer the Extraordinary Form (EF) seek to contemplate Christ and to be united to him at the Mystical Marriage ceremony that is in store for every soul who loves God. They do not attend the Extraordinary Form of the mass because they like it. They attend because it moves them deeper into contemplation of the mystery of God. The same is true for those who attend the Ordinary Form.
Those who attend either form because it makes them feel good are completely unaware of the great act of love that Grace is working in their soul. Thankfully, God loves us enough to work within us despite us. Look at Paul and Augustine.
Unfortunately, we do not have enough celebrations of the Extraordinary Form to have a daily celebration of the Eucharist in every parish, using this form. The soul who is hungry for mystical union cannot wait for this to happen.
But we should not worry. For every difficulty that we encounter at prayer, including the liturgy, if it is faced with great humility and we ask for God’s favour to overcome it, it shall be overcome in his Divine time.
On the other hand, were we to give up our daily Eucharist, because of the form or some human weakness on the part of others, regardless of the form, we would be giving up the most sublime opportunity to be physically united to Christ and his people, especially the poor.
Despite the distractions, the truth of the physical union can never be denied. The share in the Divine life that proceeds from the Eucharistic union is essential to our faith and therefore must be accepted as well.
Therefore, to be consistence with our Catholic Tradition of contemplation, we must urge every person who seeks union of his soul with the Divine to procure to participate in the liturgy of the Eucharist as frequently as possible, daily if it’s available, regardless of the form or the weaknesses of others.
We are not judged on the weaknesses of others, but on the love that we invest into loving him who is Love.
Fraternally,
JR
