Ruling the Spirit. Claire Taylor Jones

is the external praise one renders in words and songs at all beneficial? Response of Eternal Wisdom: It is beneficial, especially insofar as it can urge on the inner person, which is often urged on by it, especially in the case of beginners.

      Although a state of continual inner praise represents the spiritual goal, external prayers and songs are not detrimental. Instead such outward practices assist by inspiring the inner person, particularly in the beginning stages of one’s spiritual journey. Nevertheless, Eternal Wisdom does not say that external prayer is only useful for beginners, just that it is particularly useful for them. People at all stages of their spiritual progression may be incited to greater fervor by external praise, and there seems to be no point at which it should be abandoned. External prayer practices ought to ground and inspire spiritual fervor throughout one’s path.

      The Song from the Ground

      Among these inspiring prayer practices, the Divine Office holds pride of place. The second letter of Seuse’s Great Book of Letters addresses the virtues and behavior appropriate to a nun. Seuse opens the letter by praising enclosure and the abandonment of worldly love for love of Christ, but then proceeds to a series of more specific directives. Foreshadowing the visitation letters of Observant reformers, Seuse places devotion to the Office foremost among practices of the order that foster spiritual perfection.¹¹¹

      Min kint, du solt dich flissen gemeiner haltung dines ordens, und vor allen dingen solt du dich flissen, daz du zitlich zů kor gangest und zúhteklich da standest mit ernst und mit andaht, und nút dicke us louffest; du solt dich selben negeln in den stůl, voll us ze stenne, und sunderlich die messe in der minne, als Cristus voll us stůnt an dem krútze. Du solt under dannen nit anders tůn, so du nit siech bist, denne daz ouch der covente tůt an singen und an lesen, daz du dinú zit denne mit sprechist, daz du dar nach deste lediger siest, noch kein ander langes gebet tůn, daz dich des singens möhte ierren.¹¹²

      My child, you should be diligent in common observance of your order. Above all, you should endeavor to go to choir punctually and to stand there, well-behaved in seriousness and devotion, and not to run out all the time. You should nail yourself to your chair and endure it to the end, particularly the Mass, in contemplation of how Christ endured the cross to the end. Unless you are ill, you should do nothing other than what the convent does with regard to singing or reading. You should say your hours with [the rest of the convent] and be that much more free afterward. Do not do any other kind of long prayer that would draw you away from this singing.