In Matthew 6, 24-34, The Lord Jesus explains how our preoccupations with this world distract us from the love and service of almighty God, and from enjoying his company in prayer.  Richard of the Abbey of St. Victor in Paris (d. 1173) wrote about the conditions necessary for true prayer, which is the language of the love of God, in his spiritual explanation of the Song of Songs.  The book called The Song of Songs is a dialogue between a bride and her groom, once thought to be the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.  In the tradition of the Fathers, this song is understood as sung by the Christian soul and God, and by the Church and her Lord.  Later writers sometimes also interpreted this book as a song between the Blessed Virgin Mary and God.  Richard uses the nuptial language of the book to write of the Christian soul (the Bride) ardently seeking God (the Groom):

" 'In my bed by night, I sought him whom my soul loves' (Song of Songs 3, 1).  The soul who seeks God and longs to attain the love of God and fuller knowledge of him should seek him 'in bed', that is, in the quiet of the mind.  The mind ought to be free and to be quiet from business and unquiet earthly distractions.  Unless the mind is free from exterior cares, employments, and love, the soul will not be able to seek God, or merit to find him.  Therefore, God must be sought 'in bed', in the quiet of the mind.  And he must be sought 'by night', that is, through adverse temptations and sufferings, and in the struggle between the virtues and vices.  Indeed, it is necessary for the soul to suffer through many adverse temptations, to be hindered by many obstacles, and to be wearied with grave struggles before she perfectly corrects her ways to obtain purity of heart and may merit to see God . . . . The peace and tranquility of the mind is the 'bed' in which the Bride rests.  In this bed she seeks her beloved by night when the desires of the flesh are asleep and she has gained victory after her fight and sufferings, and rest is granted her.  For she labors during the day, at night she ceases from her labor, and at night she rests."