▁for ▁our ▁soul , ▁hol iness ▁is ▁impossible ▁without ▁it . ▁It ▁is ▁only ▁in ▁mental ▁prayer ▁and ▁spiritual ▁reading ▁that ▁we ▁cultiv ate ▁the ▁gift ▁of ▁prayer . ▁M ental ▁prayer ▁is ▁greatly ▁fost ered ▁by ▁simplicity ▁– ▁that ▁is ▁forget ful ness ▁of ▁self ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁body ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁sense , ▁and ▁by ▁frequent ▁asp ir ations ▁that ▁feed ▁our ▁prayer . ▁ ▁" He ▁who ▁neglect s ▁mental ▁prayer ," ▁aff ir ms ▁Ter esa ▁of ▁Av ila , ▁" ne eds ▁no ▁devil ▁to ▁carry ▁him ▁to ▁hell . ▁He ▁brings ▁himself ▁there ▁with ▁his ▁own ▁hands ." ▁Her ▁fellow ▁Car mel ite ▁John ▁of ▁the ▁Cross ▁also ▁said , ▁" With out ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁mental ▁prayer , ▁the ▁soul ▁cannot ▁triumph ▁over ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁demon ." ▁ ▁Al ph ons us ▁L igu ori , ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ' s ▁Doctor ▁of ▁moral ▁the ology , ▁in ▁his ▁work ▁N ec ess ity ▁and ▁Power ▁of ▁P ray er , ▁The ▁Great ▁Me ans ▁of ▁Salv ation ▁and ▁Per fection , ▁explained : ▁" M ental ▁prayer ▁is ▁the ▁bl essed ▁furn ace ▁in ▁which ▁sou ls ▁are ▁infl amed ▁with ▁the ▁love ▁of ▁God . ▁All ▁the ▁sain ts ▁have ▁become ▁sain ts ▁by ▁mental ▁prayer ." ▁And , ▁recomm ending ▁its ▁importance , ▁he ▁said : ▁" It ▁is ▁mor ally ▁impossible ▁for ▁him ▁who ▁neglect s ▁med itation ▁to ▁live ▁without ▁sin ." ▁He ▁added ▁that , ▁because ▁of ▁its