Prayer and Study

Ex his possumus colligere: quod lectio sine meditatione arida est; meditatio sine lectione, erronea; oratio sine meditatione est tepida; meditatio sine oratione, infructuosa; oratio cum devotione contemplationis acquisitva; contemplationis adeptio sine oratione, aut rara, aut miraculosa. Deus, cuius potentiae non est numerus vel terminus, et cuius misercordia super omnia opera eius, quandoque ex lapidibus suscitat filios Abrahae, dum duros et nolentes acquiescere cogit ut velint: et ita quasi prodigus, ut vulgo dici solet, bovem cornu trahit, quando non vocatus se infundit. Quod etsi quandoque aliquibus legimus contigisse, ut Paulo et quibusdam aliis, non tamen ideo debemus nos, quasi Deum tentando, divina praesumere, sed facere quod ad nos pertinet: legere scilicet et meditari in lege Dei; orare ipsum ut adiuvet infirmitatem nostram et videat imperfectum nostrum: quod ipse docet nos facere, dicens, Petite, et accipietis; quaerite, et invenietis; pulsate et aperietur vobis. Guigo II, Scala Claustralium, Cap XII

From these things we are able to gather that reading without contemplation is arid; that contemplation without reading is erroneous; that prayer without contemplation is tepid; that contemplation without prayer is unfruitful. Prayer with devotion attains to contemplation; to attain contemplation without prayer is either rare or a miracle. God, whose power is without measure or end, and whose mercy is above all his works, just as he might raise sons to Abraham from stones, 1 so he can incline the stubborn and unwilling to eagerness in this; and indeed, as is commonly said, he drags away a bull by the horns, that is, it is a marvel when he inspires someone without being called upon. Yet if we read that this may happen to anyone, such as to St Paul and certain others, we should not however, testing God, presume on his Divinity, but we should do what we should: read and meditate on the law of God, pray that he help our infirmity, and that he look upon our imperfection.  He himself teaches us how, saying , 'Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.' 2 Guigo II, The Ladder of the Monks, Ch. 12 1 Mt 3.9  2 Mt 7.7