Meditation is a great means to salvation. It aids us powerfully in the pursuit of our destiny, to know God, to love Him, to serve Him that we may be happy with Him forever; it helps us to know ourselves and to discover the means of avoiding and correcting our vices, our faults, and weaknesses; it reveals to us the dangers to which our salvation is exposed and leads us to pray with a contrite and humble heart for the necessary graces to cope with temptations, to control our passions, and to lead a holy life. Mental prayer inflames our hearts with the love of God and strengthens us to do His holy will with zeal and perseverance.
As regards the place of meditation, St. Alphonsus says:
We can meditate in every place, at home or elsewhere, even in walking and at our work. How many are there who, not having any better opportunity, raise their hearts to God and apply their minds to mental prayer, without leaving their occupations, their work, or who meditate even while traveling. He who seeks God will find Him, everywhere and at all times. The most appropriate place for meditation, however, is the church, in the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament."
"Not a few pious persons," says Father Girardey in his " Popular Instructions on Prayer, " "before setting out for their daily occupations, go to Mass in the early hours of the morning, make their meditation during the Holy Sacrifice, and thus draw on themselves the divine blessing for the whole day.
"As regards the time of meditation, it would be well if we were to make a meditation both in the morning and in the evening. If this is not feasible, we should, if convenient, prefer the morning to any other part of
