“THE greatest trouble those persons suffer from who give themselves to Prayer is the failing in Devotion which they so often experience in it. When there is no such failing, there is nothing sweeter, or more easy that to pray. For this reason, now that we have treated upon the subject-matter of Prayer, and upon the manner of praying, it will be well to consider the things which help Devotion, and also those which hinder it, and the temptations which most often assail devout people in it; and certain other points that are necessary to observe in this exercise. But first it will greatly help the matter to set forth what Devotion is, that we may know to begin with, what is the precious thing for which we are contending. Devotion, says St. Thomas Aquinas, is a power which makes one prompt and ready for any virtue, and stirs and helps one to do well. (Summa II, II, Q. 82, Art. 1.) This definition declares manifestly the great necessity and usefulness of this power, for it contains in itself more than some would think. We have on this account to consider that the chief hindrance to living a good life is the corruption of human nature which came to us through sin, and from which comes the great inclination we have towards evil, and the difficulty and unwillingness we have in respect to what is good. These two things make the path of virtue most difficult to us, while in itself it is the thing most sweet, most beautiful, most to be desired, most honorable in the world. It is against this difficulty and unwillingness the Divine Wisdom has provided this most complete remedy in the power and succor of Devotion.” St. Peter Alcantara: