'When the father and mother of St. Catherine of Sienna deprived her of all opportunity for time and place to pray and meditate, our Lord inspired her to build a little oratory within her soul, where she could retire mentally and enjoy this holy heartfelt solitude while going about her outward duties.... Because of this, she afterwards counseled her spiritual children to make a cell within their own heart and dwell in it.
'Therefore, withdraw your spirit from time to time into your heart and there, apart from the world of men, you can converse heart to heart with God.'
St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life
Painting: Camille Pissarro,The Maidservant,1867
Love this way of looking at prayer.
ReplyDeleteI do too, Deborah... it is certainly a help to me!
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