Romuald was a wise teacher. He understood that, zealous novices though we may be, we will, more than likely, not be able to "accomplish all that you desire." But fear not! And do not be disheartened by this almost inevitable reality. Help is close at hand:
"... take every opportunity you can find to sing the Psalms in your heart and to understand them with you mind ..."
Note, he says "sing" and "understand"; "in the heart" and "with the mind"—not one or other, but both.
Saint Anne teaching the Virgin Mary to read from a Psalter accompanied by angels
The proclivity to pit heart against mind, to divide "spirituality" from "theology", faith from reason, is a mistake no zealous novice should ever make. In fact, it is precisely if she does make it, that she will fail to achieve what she desires; if she forgets that heart and mind must be united in the path that the Psalms open up before us.
The Psalms are not just a rich treasury of prayers, they are a school of prayer. Indeed, they are an inexhaustible source of teaching. But a school can only teach you if you actually attend and are attentive, heart and mind.
"... if your mind wanders as you read, don't give up, but hurry back and try again."
As my old prior used to say, "90% of it is just turning up." The "it" he was referring to was human effort, our willingness to simply be there, to make ourselves available and open to the work of grace—which is the real "work", God's work working on and within us.
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