e tells us not to rush heedlessly to begin
any important work. To converse with God is a work of sublime importance
which needs preparation, so that it may be done attentively.

Third. We must invoke God's aid by prayer. No prayer is more suitable
than the prayer given as a preparatory prayer in the Breviary, "_Aperi,
Domine, os meum_ ... Open Thou, O Lord, my mouth to bless Thy holy name;
cleanse my heart from vain, evil and wandering thoughts; enlighten my
understanding, inflame my will, that so I may worthily, attentively and
devoutly recite this Office and deserve to be heard in the presence of
Thy Divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. O Lord, in union with
that divine intention wherewith Thou whilst here on earth didst Thyself
praise God, I offer these Hours to Thee."

Fourth. To unite ourselves with Jesus Christ. In the prefatory prayer
"_Aperi, Domine_," we say "_Domine, in unione_," etc. In Baptism,
Christians are united to Jesus, to His life, to His spirit. He is the
Head of the Church and we are its members. And this union should be a
real, explicit, vivifying union when we fulfil our ministry of social
prayer. This union with Christ is sought for by Himself, by the
Apostles, by the Church, and is practised ever by God's saints. The
words of the prayer should be reduced to action.

1. Christ our model in all things is our model in prayer, and so He
teaches us that when we pray we must say "Our Father, Who art in
Heaven," that is, to use His very words and sentiments. And this desire
of our Lord, that souls should be united to Him in prayer, has often
been manifested by Him to His saints. To St. Gertrude He said, "My
daughter, behold My Heart; look upon It in future as supplying your own
defects. When you would pray, ask It to help you to give My Father the
homage you owe Him. I shall be ever ready to second you as soon as you
call Me to your aid." St. Bernard, schooled in this practice by the Holy
Ghost, knew all its sweetness: "David," he says, "rejoiced of old to
have found his heart to pray to his Master and his God--_Invenit servus
tuus cor tuum ut oraret te oratione hac_ (II. Kings viii. 27). And I,
that I may pray, have found the heart of my King and my Brother, of my
sweet Saviour; shall I not then also pray? Yes, certainly, for I am,
too, happy, as I have, if not the Heart of Jesus in place of mine, at
least have I mine in that of Jesus" (Bacquez, p. 191).

2. St. Paul recommends us to offe