Thomas McGinnis, O.Carm.
We have noted above that Carmel calls to mind mental prayer. Yet vocal prayer also has its importance, being intimately connected with mental prayer. That form of vocal prayer which principally affects the Carmelite life is the Divine Office, and a study of prayer in Carmel would not be complete without its mention.
No matter what some may think or say, the Divine Office, performed in choir, pertains to the essence of the Carmelite life. This can be seen first of all from Carmel’s position among the ancient Orders as one which practices the mixed life. Above we have cited the words of Father Garrigou-Lagrange, showing the place which liturgical prayer holds in such a life. Truly, when well recited, such prayer is the culminating point of the religious life, since it leads to contemplation and union with God. To be such a culminating point, this prayer must not be recited, as it so often happens, in a hurried and mechanical fashion. Then it not only ceases to lead to union with God, but can cease as well even to be a prayer. This is especially true of choir recitation which, if slovenly executed, can be a positive obstacle to recollection. « One thinks », writes
Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, « that by going fast he is gaining time, when in truth he is losing the best time of his life, that time which is due to the Lord, during which, if one is docile, he can find the true breath of the soul, the renewal of all his energies, and his rest». The religious in whose life such prayer does not enter deeply resembles, when he preaches, « the traveler who wants to talk about the beautiful view from the summit of Mt. Blanc, without ever having made the ascent».
Within the Order, too, we find ample testimony of the role which the Divine Office should play in the Carmelite life. « Our Order is not an Order of liturgical prayer », writes Fr. Titus Brandsma, « but liturgical prayer has a special confirmation in our own Rite and must always hold a high place in our living with God. The Rule calls us together to the choir to say the Office in community, liturgically... The influence of simple and devout Carmelite liturgical life has always been great. More than one Carmel ... has been founded because of it» (Carmelite Mysticism - Historical Sketches). The regularity and solemnity of the recitation of the Office, together with the resumption of the chanting of Matins at midnight were among the regulations of the Touraine Reform. « The Divine Office », said Father P. Thibault, head of that reform, «is the work of God, and His curse shall fall upon those who perform it negligently. One must assist at choir with exterior modesty, gravity, and silence, and with interior attention ».
The remark is often heard, when one insists upon a certain mode of recitation for the Divine Office, that the Carmelite Order is not the Benedictine Order. Now the conclusion which some would like to reach by using that proposition as a minor is too fallacious to require refutation. We need only recall that, for the recitation of the Divine Office, objective norms are to be sought, which, consequently, have an absolute value, the same for all Orders. True it is that, commonly throughout the Order, the chanting of the Office in Gregorian music has been replaced by the use of the monotone or recto tono, as it is called. The correct execution of this entails the use of a singing pitch, on which the words, well articulated and accentuated, are recited at a moderate pace, with a slight prolongation of the final cadence. When executed in this way, such a chant can express, as the Discalced Carmelite author of Le Carmel (Paris, 1922) has written, «something of the soul’s nakedness, of the ineffability of love, and of the repose of divine union ». Very easily, however, can a poor recitation give the lie to such beautiful thoughts, making them seem even comical. Let us cite the words of St. Benedict himself: « We believe that God is everywhere, and that His eyes behold, in all places, the good and the wicked. But we should believe this most of all, we should have no doubt about it, when we assist at the Divine Office. Therefore should we consider what our conduct must be in the sight of God and His angels, and thus conduct ourselves in choir, that our mind may be at one with our voice ». These words, taken from St. Benedict’s Rule, hardly seem to have a purely esoteric value.
Conclusion
We hope that we have given some idea of Carmel’s prayer life. Certain it is that prayer depends primarily on the grace of God. Still must we remember that God gives grace to the humble (Jas. 4: 6), so that humility, together with mortification, which is the spirit and practice of detachment from sensible things and from self, is the best preparation for a life of prayer. Furthermore, to lift our hearts often to God, to create a holy silence in our souls, will certainly advance our prayer. To have unbounded confidence in Christ and to allow ourselves to be led by the road which He Himself has chosen for us, will secure us of persevering. Gradually will we see that there is a close connection between prayer and the rest of the spiritual life, and that, as progress is made, the distinction between them tends to disappear; prayer overflows from the time set apart for it and begins to penetrate the rest of the day, so that, whether in word or in work, our souls are always lifted up to God in a union of love.
However late we see the full possibilities of the spiritual life by finding the right way of prayer, it is of capital importance that we resolve to advance to close union with God and do not let ourselves be overcome by the fear that it is now too late. Even though our past has been stained by sin and our time has been wasted through mistaken direction or an unsuitable way of praying, absolutely nothing in our past can be an insuperable obstacle to holiness, if we but turn our hearts to God Who is within us. He has infinite power and infinite mercy, by which He can utilize all our past and turn it to good account. No matter how late the hour or how great the obstacles, we must turn to God with unlimited confidence. In fact, since all the glory is to be His, there will always be some apparently insuperable difficulty or weakness on our part. Nevertheless, all things are possible to him that believeth: no matter what is lacking to us, be it time or merit, our sufficiency is from God.
All of us, as Carmelites, are called to fervent, continual prayer which will flower into that infused contemplation whose fruit is intimate union with God. All of us, even if we are but tertiaries in the world, for life in the world but modifies a perfect life; it does not render it impossible: grace, joined to generous effort, can always triumph over any obstacles, be they from temperament or from surroundings. All of us have been invited to that exalted communion with God, well expressed in a simple yet profound phrase spoken by Him to St. Catherine of Siena: « Think of Me and I will think of thee ».
