Note 1 — Salve Regina

Note.—There are times when we get a little tired of Preludes and Points, and feel that a change of method would be a help to our Meditation. St Ignatius knew this, and knew also that to some minds Preludes and Points would be a positive hindrance; and so he has given us, in his book of the Spiritual Exercises, "Three (other) methods of prayer." Our Meditation to-day is according to the Second Method, which "consists in considering the signification of each word of a prayer." (Text of the Exercises.) St Ignatius says that if one or two words give us sufficient matter for thought and spiritual relish and consolation, we are not to be anxious to pass on, even though the whole time of the Meditation be spent on one word, but leave the rest till the next day. So we may take to-day as many words of the Salve Regina as we find spiritual relish for. This method, St Ignatius tells us, may be applied to "any other prayer whatsoever."