6. Conclusion

Saint Vincent instructed us: in closing, let us thank God for the lights and graces he has granted us during meditation, and for the resolutions he has inspired us to take; let us ask him for his help so that we may be able to put into execution as soon as possible, whatever we have proposed to ourselves to do (CCD:XI:361)

At the conclusion of mental prayer, we are invited to enter into a deeper relationship with God and feel the divine life pulsating within us … a true experience of contemplation, filling us with hope and strengthen our commitment.

The purpose of mental prayer is to provide us with an experience of contemplation, fruit of the encounter between the gracious love of God and the trusting, thirsting openness of the one who is praying. In contemplation individuals simply savor the presence of God, abandon themselves into the hands of God and experience the freedom and joy of the Mystery that encompasses them. We recall here the words of Pope Francis: intercessory prayer does not divert us from true contemplation, since authentic contemplation always has a place for others (Evangelii Gaudium, #281). He then goes on to say: when evangelizers rise from prayer, their hearts are more open; freed of self-absorption, they are desirous of doing good and sharing their lives with others (Evangelii Gaudium, #282).

Vincent de Paul viewed true mysticism and contemplation as a gift from God and at the same time, as the result of a mature spiritual life. He spoke about the experience of contemplation (May 31, 1648) to the Daughters of charity and stated: The other type of prayer is called contemplation. In this the soul, in the presence of God, does nothing but receive what He gives. It does not act and, with no effort on the part of the soul, God himself inspires it with everything it may be seeking, and much more. Haven’t you ever experienced this sort of prayer? I am sure you have done so very often in your retreats, when you have been amazed that, with no contribution on your part, God himself filled your mind and imprinted on it knowledge that you never had (CCD:IX:330). The very natural manner in which Vincent spoke about contemplation reveals that he himself had had that experience. The insights and prayers which he spontaneously uttered during his conferences are also signs of his contemplative prayer. When explaining the first chapter of the Common Rules to the members of the Congregation of the Mission (December 13, 1658), Vincent stated: If we only had a vision incisive enough to penetrate a little into the infinity of his excellence, O my God, what lofty sentiments we would take away from it! Like Saint Paul, we would say that eyes have never seen, nor ears heard, nor the mind understood anything like it. God is an abyss of gentleness, a sovereign, eternally glorious being, an infinite good that embraces all good (CCD:XII:94-95).

6.1. Thank God for prayer

Having savored the presence of God who spoke to our heart and inspired us with some proposition or resolution, we now express our gratitude and joy for having had this opportunity to experience God present and acting in our personal, family and community life as well as in the events of history. Therefore, it is good to conclude our prayer by speaking directly with the One who touched our hearts and inspired us with new interior dispositions, showering us with light and grace.

When speaking about the Rule of the Daughters of Charity (October 13, 1658), Vincent explained:

You have seen the beauty of virtue and have taken your resolutions. You still have to thank God for the grace he has given you of making your prayer, which is the greatest grace God can give to Christians, and therefore to Daughters of Charity. What greater favor could Our Lord give a soul than to allow it to speak to and communicate intimately with him? So, it is very reasonable to thank God after having made this prayer. And who gave you the grace to make it? Was it not God? You must, then, thank him warmly for it. And those who pray without thanking God for having banished the darkness from their mind, enlightened them to see the beauty of virtue, and kindled their will to practice it, lack a very necessary element for making their prayer properly (CCD:X:460).

6.2. Review the resolution

We allow the resolution to move from our heart to our mind. It is not advisable to multiply resolutions or to develop all the various possible dimensions of a resolution. Rather, it is better to summarize the resolution in order to facilitate memorization and experience. We should not forget that it is best to make only one resolution at a time.

There is a Vincentian tradition of making a particular examination of conscience at noon. In the presence of God, an individual renews the resolution that was made during morning prayer in order to reaffirm one’s desire and stimulate creativity. In the evening, before retiring for the night, one makes a general examination of conscience and does so from the perspective of reviewing one’s life in order to open oneself to on-going conversion and in order to persevere in the practice of good and the avoidance of evil. Vincent explained the meaning of this spiritual practice when, on August 16, 1641, he spoke with the Daughters of Charity: As for your examination of conscience before dinner, be faithful to that. You know it is to be made on the resolution taken at morning meditation, and to thank God if, by his grace, you have put it into practice, or to ask his forgiveness if, through negligence, you have failed to do so (CCD:IX:36-37).

Vincent spoke about two forms of an examination of conscience: The first by seeing whether you have been faithful to the resolutions made at morning prayer … Or it may be made in another way, which is to try to discover the particular failing to which you are most inclined in order to correct it (CCD:X:485). Vincent concluded by giving an example to motivate the Sisters not only to the practice of mortification but also to the practice of whatever virtue is opposed to the vice they are trying to correct: “What did I resolve to do this morning at meditation?” If, for example, it was to mortify impatience, for example, you will say, “I am in the habit of being impatient with my Sister; how did I act?” And if you see that you have practiced patience when the occasion arose to be annoyed and you were not [annoyed], thank God; if not, then beg for forgiveness and impose a penance on yourself. For you see, it is impossible to correct a vice properly if you are not exact in that (CCD:X:486).

6.3. Offer the resolution to God

Since we are nothing without God and likewise can do nothing without God, meditation is brought to a close by asking the Lord to help us bring to a good conclusion all that we have proposed to do in God’s presence: offer your resolutions to God; give him back what you just received from his goodness … We have a great need to put our resolutions into practice, which we cannot do without the grace of God (CCD:X:460).

Vincent encouraged the Sister to cooperate with God’s grace: all our resolutions are nothing without grace. That is why we really have to ask God to give us strength and set to work courageously (CCD:IX:12).

He also taught the Sisters a prayer that is most appropriate for concluding the time of mental prayer: Yes, my God, I am determined to begin to practice those good things you taught us. I know I am weak, but with your grace I can do all things, and I feel confident that you will help me. I implore you by the love that prompts you to teach us your holy will, and I beg you to give us the strength and courage to live them (CCD:IX:10).

Addenda 

Vincent also encouraged the Daughters and his confreres to share the insights that they received during the time of mental prayer/meditation.