For those who subscribe to my email list, I'm afraid I'm having technical difficulties with it. But I will continue to post here on the blog while I try to work it out! :) Please say a prayer that I can!

In the meantime, St. Francis de Sales once again offers us some concrete advice regarding prayer, and especially mental prayer:

"If possible, pray in the morning, which is the best time for spiritual exercises, and think of them during the rest of the day."

It's true...it makes such a difference. If we think and pray deeply about a subject in the morning, we can recall it throughout the day. St. Francis de Sales elsewhere refers to it as picking a little bouquet of flowers to lightly sniff at times, reminding ourselves of the fragrant graces received. If the only time that we can meditate is at night, then so be it. Hopefully, we can remind ourselves of the subject matter in the morning upon waking. But if at all possible, we should pray in the morning.

In another spot, he advises:

"During vocal prayer if you find your heart drawn and invited to interior or mental prayer, don't refuse to take it up. Let your mind turn very gently in that direction and don't be concerned at not finishing the vocal prayers you intended to say. The mental prayer you substitute for them is more pleasing to God and more profitable for your soul."

What a comfort to know this little tip! That gentle tugging of our mind and heart, pulling us toward a holy thought, or beautiful contemplation -- we should follow it and not shrug it off. The Holy Ghost offers His inspirations during prayer, and we can learn to listen to Him. St. Teresa of Avila humbly referred to her closest moments with God as "distractions" - may we all have *that* kind of distraction!