Pentecost is coming

We move so quickly from Easter into Pentecost. I came across this quote in von Balthasar,

It makes a great difference to the act of contemplation whether I see myself as an isolated subject, who, albeit assisted by God's grace, endeavours to understand something of the mysteries of revelation; or whether, in faith, I have the conviction that my inadequate attempt to understand is supported by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me, that my acts of worship, petition and thanksgiving are borne along and remodeled by the Spirit's infinite and eternal acts, in that ineffable union by which all human doing and being has been lifted up and plunged into the river of eternal life and love. (page 76)

Two things here. First of all it is good to be reminded of the inner working of the Holy Spirit in the life of all Christians as we try to pray and live as Christian disciples of the Lord Jesus.
However, I also note here that von Balthasar views prayer as an exercise in 'understanding something of the mysteries of revelation'. Such a view of prayer saves us from thinking of our best prayers persuading God to change his mind and do what we want. It also, however, surely changes how we think about trying to understand what God has revealed of himself. Do we give ourselves to prayer - contemplative prayer - when reflecting upon God's revelation in creation, in Scripture, in Jesus Christ? Or do we have very wise and very clever methods of study which take priority over such prayer?