examination of the heart 414 FOR THE FEAST OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE Before Holy Communion 1. “He went out to a mountain to pray” (Lk 6:12). Consider that the words of the king-prophet can be applied here to the Christ, praying on the summit of the mountain: “On the holy mount stands the city [H]e founded” (Ps 87:1). For Christ sanctified various mountains in different ways: the mountain of Golgotha, by His Passion and death; the mountain of Tabor, by His Transfiguration; and the one of today, by His prayer. On this mountain He laid the foundations of the Church when, having said the prayer here, He appointed and chose the twelve apostles who were going to sustain it. Oh! It is to be regretted that you, I believe, burdened by the load of your passions, cannot follow Jesus to the mountain! You cannot, I believe, devote yourself to sublime contemplation and rise on high in your mind. Therefore, with sorrow and desire wait for Him in the valleys at least, until, moved with mercy, He descends to you and draws you with Himself to higher pinnacles of contemplation. 2. “He passed the whole night in prayer to God” (Lk 6:12). Having considered the place where the prayer is to be offered, think about themost appropriate time for doing it, namely at night. Night is extremely propitious for prayer: at night nobody sees you praying, and you fulfill that well-known advice: “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to pray standing in the synagogues and at corners of the streets, that they may be seen by people” (Mt 6:5). Nobody impedes you, and you will obtain that: “All things, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive; and it shall be done for you” (Mk 11:24). Notice that prayer is the first means to accomplish great things. Was there a greater undertaking than the founding of the Church? And Christ began this with a prayer. Hence, rightly does Ambrose admonish: [f.132v] “O Christian, the idea is given to you, the manner prescribed, which you should imitate. For what ought you to do for your salvation, when Christ for you
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