Rosary, Mental Prayer, Sanctification

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codefro

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Hello all,

I have been reading St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. Francis De Sales recently on prayer and developing a spiritual life. Both of them seem in agreement that praying of the rosary is a good thing. Yet, both also seem pretty clear that the greatest spiritual discipline one should develop is the daily practice of mental prayer.

I am a husband and father of 3 kids and work 2 jobs. I love all the forms of prayer that exist in the Catholic Church, but mostly I have grown attached to the Rosary. After reading both of these saints though, I am wanting to take my spiritual life more seriously and wanting to grow closer to Our Lord. Particularly what St. Alphonsus preached about a false overconfidence in the rosary is something I felt I have fallen prey too. He doesn’t speak negatively on the rosary at all, but he condemns a false idea of what the rosary is for. I feel that is where I had fallen prey.

Anyways, both are adamant that mental prayer is what every saint in the Church practices. I want to develop it, but part of me has a hard time not praying the rosary as I do enjoy it. Now, before you start thinking I am making too much of it, the reason I am asking is because in my vocation in life I don’t have a lot of time to set aside for prayer, and the time I do set aside will likely be one or the other. But with the difficulty of practicing mental prayer, it is something that needs to be practiced daily and at the same time according to many saints who practiced it often. So, any advice on any of this? Or any other saints to cite that can weigh in on this topic? Any cited comments would be great.
 
I do both, however I have after reading some St Teresa of Avila really slowed down the Rosary as she says it is better to do one really prayerful decade then five just rattled off.

Since I’ve slowed down and really contemplate as she advises to really think first on who we are addressing in prayer and who we are as petitioners I find that praying the rosary this way really helps me facilitate mental prayer and find myself doing mental prayer during the rosary or chaplet.
 
What sources do people use when they practice mental prayer?
 
codefro said:
What sources do people use when they practice mental prayer?
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Depends what you mean by “Mental Prayer ?”

Mental Prayer, the term used by St Terese of Avila, was praying in the presence of God.

In other words, keeping in mind that you are praying to God, who dwells within and you are in His presence. This is done whether you’re doing active verbal prayer, or quiet prayer.

If you’re referring to Christian Meditation, go to the link I posted before yours.

Jim
 
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