The fifth and most necessary means for the spiritual life, and for obtaining the love of Jesus Christ, is prayer. In the first place, I say that by this means God convinces us of the great love He bears us. What greater proof of affection can a person give to a friend than to say to him, " My friend, ask anything you like of me, and I will give it you?" Now, this is precisely what our Lord says to us: Ask, and it shall be given you . . . seek, and you shall find. [Matt. vii. 7.] Wherefore prayer is called all-powerful with God to obtain every blessing: "Prayer, though it is one, can effect all things," as Theodoret says; [Ap. Rodr. p. I, tr. 5, c. 14; Wisd. vii. 27.] whoever prays, obtains from God whatever he chooses. The words of David are beautiful: Blessed be God Who hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me. [Ps. lxv. 20.] Commenting on this passage, St. Augustine says, "As long as thou seest thyself not failing in prayer, be assured that the Divine mercy will not fail thee either." And St. John Chrysostom: "We always obtain, even while we are still praying."
When we pray to God He grants us the grace we ask for, even before we have ended our petition. If then we are poor, let us blame only ourselves, since we are poor merely because we wish to be poor, and so we are undeserving of pity. What sympathy can there be for a beggar, who, having a very rich master, and one most desirous to provide him with everything if he will only ask for it, nevertheless chooses still to continue in his poverty sooner than ask for what he wants? "Behold," says the Apostle, "our God is ready to enrich all who call upon Him:" Rich unto all that call upon Him. [Rom. x. 12.]
Humble prayer, then, obtains all from God; but we must be persuaded at the same time, that if it be useful, it is no less necessary for our salvation. It is certain that we absolutely require the Divine assistance, in order to overcome temptations; and sometimes, in certain more violent assaults, the sufficient grace which God gives to all, might possibly enable us to resist them; but on account of our inclination to evil, it will not ordinarily be sufficient, and we shall stand in need of a special grace. Whoever prays obtains this grace; but whoever prays not, obtains it not, and is lost. And this is more especially the case with regard to the grace of final perseverance, of dying in the grace of God, which is the grace absolutely necessary for our salvation, and without which we should be lost forever. St. Augustine [De Dono pers. c. 16.] says of this grace, that God only bestows it on those who pray. And this is the reason why so few are saved, because few indeed are mindful to beg of God this grace of perseverance.
In fine, the holy Fathers say, that prayer is necessary for us, not merely as a necessity of precept (so that divines say, that he who neglects for a month to recommend to God the affair of his salvation is not exempt from mortal sin), but also as a necessity of means, which is as much as to say, that whoever does not pray cannot possibly be saved. And the reason of it is, in short, because we cannot obtain eternal salvation without the help of Divine grace, and this grace Almighty God only accords to those who pray. And because temptations, and the dangers of falling into God's displeasure, continually beset us, so ought our prayers to be continual. Hence St. Thomas declares that continual prayer is necessary for a man to save himself: "Unceasing prayer is necessary to man, that he may enter Heaven." [P. 3, q. 39. a. 5.] And Jesus Christ Himself had already said the same thing: We ought always to pray, and not to faint. [Luke, xviii. 1.] And afterwards the Apostle: Pray without ceasing. [1 Thess. v. 17.] During the interval in which we shall cease to pray, the devil will conquer us. And though the grace of perseverance can in no wise be merited by us, as the Council of Trent teaches us, [Sess. vi. cap. 13.] nevertheless St. Augustine says, "that in a certain sense we can merit it by prayer." The Lord wishes to dispense His grace to us, but he will be entreated first: nay more, as St. Gregory remarks, he wills to be importuned, and in a manner constrained by our prayers: [In Ps. vi. pæn.] "God wishes to be prayed to,---He wishes to be compelled,---He wishes to be, as it were, vanquished by our importunity." [De Dono pers. c. 6.] St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi said, "that when we ask graces of God, He not only hears us, but in a certain sense thanks us." Yes, because God, as the infinite goodness, in wishing to pour out Himself upon others, has, so to speak, an infinite longing to distribute his gifts; but He wishes to be besought: hence it follows, that when He sees Himself entreated by a soul, He receives so much pleasure, that in a certain sense He thanks that soul for it.
Well, then, if we wish to preserve ourselves in the grace of God till death, we must act the mendicant, and keep our mouths open to beg for God's help, always repeating, "My Jesus, mercy; never let me be separated from Thee; O Lord, come to my aid; My God, assist me!" This was the unceasing prayer of the ancient ' Fathers of the desert: "Incline unto my aid, O God: O Lord, make haste to help me! [Ps. lxix. 2.] O Lord, help me, and help me soon; for if Thou delayest Thy assistance, I shall fall and perish!" And this above all must be practiced in the moment of temptation; he who acts otherwise is lost.
And let us have a great faith in prayer. God has promised to hear him that prays: Ask, and you shall receive. [John, xvi. 24.] How can we doubt, says St. Augustine, since God has bound Himself by express promise, and cannot fail to grant us the favors we ask of Him? "By promising He has made Himself our debtor." [Serm. 110, E. B.] In recommending ourselves to God, we must have a sure confidence that God hears us, and then we shall obtain whatever we want. Behold what Jesus Christ says: All things, whatsoever you ask when ye pray, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come unto you.
[Mark, xi. 24.]
"But," some one may say, " I am a sinner, and do not deserve to be heard." But Jesus Christ says, Every one that asketh, receiveth. [Luke, xi. 10.] Everyone, be he just, or be he a sinner. St. Thomas teaches us that the efficacy of prayer to obtain graces does not depend on our merits, but on the mercy of God, Who has promised to hear everyone who prays to Him." [2. 2, q. 178, a. 2.] And our Redeemer, in order to remove from us all fear when we pray, said: Amen, amen, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it you. [John, xvi. 23.] As though He would say: Sinners, you have no merits of your own to obtain graces, wherefore do in this manner; when you would obtain graces, ask them of My Father in My name; that is, through My merits and through My love; and then ask as many as you choose, and they shall be granted to you. But let us mark well those words, "In My name;" which signify (as St. Thomas explains it), "in the name of the Saviour;" or, in other words, that the graces which we ask must be graces which regard our eternal salvation; and consequently we must remark that the promise does not regard temporal favors; these our Lord grants, when they are profitable for our eternal welfare; if they would prove otherwise, He refuses them. So that we should always ask for temporal favors, on condition that they will benefit our soul. But should they be spiritual graces, then they require no condition; but with confidence, and a sure confidence, we should say: "Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ deliver me from this temptation: grant me holy perseverance, grant me Thy love, grant me Heaven." We can likewise ask these graces of Jesus Christ in His Own name; that is, by His merits, since we have His promise also to this effect: If you shall ask Me anything in My name, that I will do. [John, xiv. 14.]
And whilst we pray to God, let us not forget to recommend ourselves at the same time to Mary, the dispenser of graces. St. Bernard says, that it is Almighty God Who bestows the graces; but He bestows them through the hands of Mary: "Let us seek grace, and let us seek it through Mary; because what she seeks she finds, and cannot be refused." [De Aquæd.] If Mary prays for us, we are safe; for every petition of Mary is heard, and she can never meet with a repulse.