Contemplata aliis tradere

"I have often wondered about such poor anaemic, extenuated words, so thoroughly emptied of their substance that contemporary thought is reduced to stuffing them in order to preserve some semblance of life: by what miracle could they suddenly recover their freshness and muscularity? Here is the reply: before being uttered the words must be prayed.

"'I come back to contemplation. Although I do not live according to a contemplative rule, I can see very well that this ground of prayer in which each day is rooted comprises many profoundly contemplative elements and moments of great importance for my ministry and above all for the proclamation of God's Word. The ancient principle, Contemplata aliis tradere (hand on to others the fruits of prayer), is still topical and life-enhancing. It concerns in the first place the one who 'hands on', the preacher or servant of the Word: he is entitled to communicate--uniquely and exclusively--only contemplata, thoughts passed through prayer.'"

(André Frossard (on John Paul II's spirit of prayer), Be Not Afraid! p 33-34)