My good little daughters in Jesus Christ, put into practice the recommendation that our Divine Saviour made to us, to pray always and not lose heart.
But you will ask me: how can we pray always? I answer you with the sacred interpreters and with the spiritual masters, saying that there are especially three ways in which we can always pray. Firstly, by acquiring the habit, that is, the virtue and the spirit of prayer, because in the same way that it is said, for example, that a person is charitable because he has acquired the habit, the facility, the readiness to do acts of charity, and always performs them when the opportunity presents itself, so also whoever has the virtue, that is, the willingness to pray whenever he should or whenever he can, may deservedly be said to always be in prayer, as the Lord wants, because He knows our good will. The habit, therefore, and the spirit of assiduous prayer are acquired by praying frequently, but, above all, when the Holy Church and the rule require it.
In the same way, the precept of always praying is fulfilled with the frequent use of the ejaculatory prayers so insistently recommended by all masters of the spiritual life; through them we elevate the mind and heart to God and unite ourselves with Him.
Finally, the divine recommendation of continuous prayer is observed by performing all our works and actions with diligence and for the love of God, as the Apostle St. Paul exhorts us. Thus the Venerable St. Bede writes: those who act always in accordance with the will of God always pray. And St. Basil says: He who always acts well, always prays. And we always act well when we have the right intention of giving glory to God.
DESRAMAUT, SDB, Francis.
The Life of Fr. Michael Rua: first successor of Don Bosco.
São Paulo: Editora Salesiana, 2010, p.275-276
