Many believe they no longer pray when they cease to enjoy pleasure in the act. But perfect prayer is only another name for love to God.
I thank God for the writings of Fénelon. Perfect prayer is only another name for the love of God. I know in my heart that's true.
Prayer is a way to express how much you love and worship Him — the triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 🙏
Le confirms Fénelon from experience: I know in my heart that's true. The heart knows what the mind debates. And Le names the Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The love returned to all three. The prayer addressed to the whole of God. 🙏
Prayer does not consist in sweet feelings, nor imagination, nor intellect, nor consolation: all are external gifts. Love may exist even more purely without them, as the soul attaches itself to God, instead of to His mercies.
This is love by naked faith — the death of nature, because it leaves it no support.
When we are convinced that all is lost, that very conviction is the evidence that all is gained.
No sweet feelings. No excited imagination. No consolation. The love may exist even more purely without them — because the soul attaches to God Himself, not to what God gives. And the line that holds everything: when all seems lost, that is the evidence all is gained. The soul that feels nothing and still wills toward God — loves most purely. The death of nature. Love without feeling, as faith believes without seeing.
Pure love is in the will alone; it loves without feeling, as faith believes without seeing.
Such love is chaste: we are attached to Him, but not for the pleasure He bestows; we follow Him, but not for the loaves and fishes.
Not for the loaves and fishes (John 6:26). Not for the blessings. For God Himself. Le said on July 5: it was easy to go to Him when I had nothing to give. Fénelon says the reverse: it is purest to love Him when He gives nothing to feel. The love that needs nothing in return — because the Beloved is enough.
A good tree brings forth good fruit; a true will makes us earnest in doing the will of God.
But it is compatible with little failings permitted by God that the soul may be humbled.
Let us not be discouraged, but extract from them their proper fruit — humility.
The test is not feeling. The test is faithfulness. And the little daily frailties — not failures. Curriculum. Permitted by God for humility. Repent, God forgives, He teaches. The frailties are the material from which humility is extracted.
"When we are convinced that all is lost, that very conviction is the evidence that all is gained."
François Fénelon · Le · July 17, 2026 · Pure love — in the will alone, by naked faithPrayer Is Love
Perfect prayer is love to God. I know in my heart that's true. Worship of the triune God — Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Naked Faith
Love without feeling. Faith without seeing. The death of nature. When all seems lost — all is gained.
Chaste Love
Not for loaves and fishes. Not for pleasure. Attached to God Himself. Pure love in the will alone.
Little Frailties
Permitted by God for humility. Not failures — curriculum. The test is faithfulness, not feeling.