to Jesus Christ, Who is the perfect praise of
God, the Father? Have we united ourselves in spirit to the Church, in
whose name we are going to praise God? "In unione orationum ac meritorum
Christi Jesu gratiam ad officium debite persolvendum petat" (St.
Bona. _ibid_.)

Have we begged the Holy Ghost by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin
and the saints, whose offices we read, that we may be allowed to join
our praises to those which they give God?

Have we always formed intentions general and particular, not forgetting
to form intentions embracing the intentions of Christ and His Church?

Have we adopted some pious thought prior to our reading, so that
distractions may be excluded and fervour fostered during our recitation?
Have we chosen suitable time and place to pray?

Have we taken pains to mark the places in the Breviary and looked over
the rubrics? Has not negligence in these matters caused innumerable
distractions?

II. Dispositions which we should have in saying the Office:--

Let us find out with what dispositions we recite the Divine Office, and
if we say it in the manner in which the Church wishes it to be said,
digne, attente, ac devote. (Orat. rec. ante offic.).

1. Have we considered well that God is present and that we speak to Him?
Do we look on ourselves as instruments which need to be animated with
God's holy spirit in order to bless His holy name? Have we said the
Office with all the respect and all the veneration which His almighty
majesty calls for? Cum timore et humilitate, tanquam Deo visibiliter
presente, psallant (S. Bona, spec, discip., p. 1, c. 15).

2. In order to say it attentively have we taken great pains to put away
all kinds of distractions?

"Munda cor meum ab omnibus vanis perversis et alienis cogitationibus"
(_ibid._).

Have we rejected even good thoughts which were unsuitable for the time
of recitation, and above all have we banished idle or indifferent ones?

Have we tried, following the example of the saints, to excite in
ourselves the different sentiments expressed by the Psalms, or to dwell
on some perfection of God, or on some mystery of our Lord, or on some
virtue of the saint whose office we read? Have we piously dwelt on
these, or on some other subject proper to the Church's season or
according to our needs?

"Si orat psalmus, orate; si gemit, gemite; si gratulatur, gaudete; si
timet, timete" (St. Aug. in Ps. 30).

In order to say the Office devoutly, have