Modi Tres Orandi

Modi Tres Orandi

The first way to pray is based on the commandments, the seven deadly sins, the three powers of the soul, and the five senses considered; thus, it doesn't just take the form of a prayer, but rather resembles a certain spiritual exercise, through which both the soul is helped and the prayer is rendered more acceptable to God. Before I pray in this way, according to what is equivalent to the third addition, I will sit or walk for a little while (as I see it helps my soul to be at peace), reflecting on what I need to approach and what I should do. This same kind of addition should be prefaced to every mode of prayer. Let my preparatory prayer contain a request for grace, so that I may be granted the ability to recognize whatever I have done wrong against the commandments of the Decalogue, and to amend my ways in the future, understanding them more clearly, (and as is fitting) for the glory of God and my own salvation, while observing them more cautiously than usual. First, I will examine each commandment in order, paying attention to how I have kept it or broken it, and I will ask for forgiveness for my sins that come to mind, reciting the Our Father once. Moreover, it would be sufficient to take some time to reflect on each commandment, so that the Lord's Prayer could be recited three times. However, it's important to note that regarding a command, whose violation happens less frequently for us, it should be less concerning; but the more often a lapse occurs due to habit, the same should apply to mortal sins. After completing the discussion of each commandment, following my confession and the plea for grace, I will more vigilantly keep these matters in mind and direct my conversation to God according to the occasion. Second, we will follow a similar way of prayer regarding mortal sins, after the Addition and the preparatory prayer, as we did in the commandments. For nothing varies in either case, except what pertains to the matter, since the commandments must indeed be observed, but sins must be avoided. The rest is the same, and the colloquy will be the same as well. It's important to understand that knowledge of sins and vices is aided by considering the actions and habits that oppose them. Therefore, through divine grace and any pious practice, each person must work to cultivate virtues that oppose the seven deadly sins. Third, regarding the three powers of the soul, the same progress follows through addition, prayer, and discussion of each, with a colloquy aimed at the end to be achieved. Fourth, regarding the five senses of the body, nothing is changed except for the material. Where it should be noted that if anyone wishes to imitate Christ in the use of their senses, they should commend themselves to God in a preparatory prayer, and submit the Lord's Prayer to the examination of each of their senses: but if they desire to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary, they should commend themselves to her, as it is through the Son that this is obtained, and recite the Angelic Salutation repeatedly while awakening their senses. The second way to pray is to reflect on the meaning of each word of the prayer. Additionally, the same prayer mentioned earlier should be a preliminary step to which we direct our attention. The second way to pray is to kneel or sit (depending on your body and the devotion of your heart), with your eyes either closed or fixed on one point, without moving your gaze around, and to recite the Lord's Prayer from the beginning; and in the first word, which is 'Father,' let us anchor our thoughts in meditation for as long as various meanings, comparisons, spiritual tastes, and other devout stirrings arise around it; and so, in turn, we will do the same with each word of this or another prayer. Three rules should be followed regarding these. First, in any such prayerful meditation, we should take the time of an hour, during which we can recite once the Ave Maria, the Credo, the Anima Christi, or the Salve Regina, according to common practice, either in our minds alone or even aloud. The second way is that if, while we are praying in this manner, meditation flows to us in one voice or two, and an inner delight arises simultaneously, we should set aside the concern of rushing through, even if the whole hour passes; once that time has elapsed, we can quickly recite the remaining part of the prayer. Third, when this happens, we should spend an hour on a single voice or a few words for meditation, and the next day briefly recite what we have reflected on, moving on to consider the next word. After the complete recitation of the Lord's Prayer in this manner, the Angelic Salutation will follow; then other prayers, so that this exercise of prayer may proceed without interruption. After completing any prayer in this way, we will briefly address that person to whom it pertains, asking for some virtue or grace that we have sensed we need most. The third way of praying involves a kind of matching of words and times. The addition from either of the previous methods is not different. The preparatory prayer will be made as in the second method. The third way of praying focuses on how we can transmit the words of each prayer, whether they are from the Lord's Prayer or another prayer, during our individual breaths, considering either the meaning of the spoken words or the dignity of the person to whom the prayer is directed, or even my own unworthiness, or the difference between both. In the same way, we should proceed with the other words. Also, include the prayers mentioned above, such as the Hail Mary, the Creed, and so on. There are two rules that pertain to this. First, so that the Lord's Prayer, when completed according to this method of praying, may be used on other days, or at the hours of the Angelic Salutation, it should be treated in a similar interval of breaths, along with other customary prayers. If someone wants to practice this method of prayer for a longer time, they should apply all the aforementioned prayers or parts of them, and observe the intervals of their breaths and words.