Part 8 (1/2)
But the will moves the reason to its end or object. Hence there is nothing to prevent the reason, under the direction of the will, from tending to the goal of charity, which is union with G.o.d. Prayer, however, tends towards G.o.d--moved, that is, by the will, which itself is motived by charity--in two ways: in one way by reason of that which is asked for, since in prayer we have particularly to ask that we may be united with G.o.d, according to those words: _One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life._[106] And in another way prayer tends towards G.o.d--by reason, namely, of the pet.i.tioner himself; for such a one must approach him from whom he asks something, and this either bodily, as when he draws nigh to a man, or mentally, as when he draws nigh to G.o.d.
Hence the same Denis says: ”When we invoke G.o.d in prayer we are before Him with our minds laid bare.” In the same sense S. John Damascene says: ”Prayer is the ascent of the mind towards G.o.d.”
_Cajetan:_ Prayer demands of the pet.i.tioner a twofold union with G.o.d: the one is general--the union, that is, of friends.h.i.+p--and is produced by charity, so that further on[107] we shall find the friends.h.i.+p arising from charity enumerated among the conditions for infallibly efficacious prayer. The second kind of union may be termed substantial union; it is the effect of prayer itself. It is that union of application by which the mind offers itself and all it has to G.o.d in service--viz., by devout affections, by meditations, and by external acts. By such union as this a man who prays is inseparable from G.o.d in his wors.h.i.+p and service, just as when one man serves another he is inseparable from him in his service (_on_ 2. 2. 83. 1).
”And now, O Lord, Thou art our Father, and we are clay: and Thou art our Maker, and we are all the works of Thy hands. Be not very angry, O Lord, and remember no longer our iniquity: behold, see we are all Thy people.”[108]
II
Is It Fitting To Pray?
In S. Luke's Gospel we read: _We ought always to pray and not to faint._[109]
A threefold error regarding prayer existed amongst the ancients; for some maintained that human affairs were not directed by Divine Providence; whence it followed that it was altogether vain to pray or to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d; of such we read: _You have said, he laboureth in vain that serveth G.o.d_.[110] A second opinion was that all things, even human affairs, happened of necessity--whether from the immutability of Divine Providence, or from a necessity imposed by the stars, or from the connection of causes; and this opinion, of course, excluded all utility from prayer. A third opinion was that human affairs were indeed directed by Divine Providence, and that human affairs did not happen of necessity, but that Divine Providence was changeable, and that consequently its dispositions were changed by our prayers and by other acts of religious wors.h.i.+p. These views, however, have elsewhere been shown to be wrong.
Consequently we have so to set forth the utility of prayer as neither to make things happen of necessity because subject to Divine Providence, nor to suggest that the arrangements of Divine Providence are subject to change.
To bring this out clearly we must consider that Divine Providence not merely arranges what effects shall take place, but also from what causes they shall proceed, and in what order.
But amongst other causes human acts are causes of certain effects. Hence men must do certain things, not so that their acts may change the Divine arrangement, but that by their acts they may bring about certain effects according to the order arranged by G.o.d; and it is the same with natural causes. It is the same, too, in the case of prayer. For we do not pray in order to change the Divine arrangements, but in order to win that which G.o.d arranged should be fulfilled by means of prayers; or, in S.
Gregory's words: ”Men by pet.i.tioning may merit to receive what Almighty G.o.d arranged before the ages to give them.”[111]
Some, however, maintain that prayer is futile, thus:
1. Prayer seems to be necessary in order that we may bring our wants to the notice of Him to Whom we make the pet.i.tion. But our Lord says: _Your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things._[112]
But it is not necessary for us to set forth our pet.i.tions before G.o.d in order to make known to Him our needs or desires, but rather that we ourselves may realize that in these things it is needful to have recourse to the Divine a.s.sistance.
2. Again, by prayer the mind of him to whom it is made is prevailed upon to grant what is asked of him; but the mind of G.o.d is unchangeable and inflexible: _The Triumpher in Israel will not spare, and will not be moved to repentance; for He is not a man that He should repent._[113]
Consequently it is unavailing to pray to G.o.d.
But our prayers do not aim at changing the Divine arrangements, but at obtaining by our prayers what G.o.d has arranged to give us.
3. Lastly, it is more generous to give to one who does not ask than to one who asks, for, as Seneca remarks: ”Nothing is bought at a dearer price than what is bought with prayers.”[114] Whereas G.o.d is most generous.
G.o.d, indeed, bestows on us many things out of His generosity, even things for which we do not ask; but He wishes to grant us some things on the supposition that we ask for them. And this is for our advantage, for it is intended to beget in us a certain confidence in having recourse to G.o.d, as well as to make us recognize that He is the Author of all good to us. Hence S.
Chrysostom says: ”Reflect what great happiness is bestowed upon you, what glory is given you, namely, to converse in your prayers with G.o.d, to join in colloquy with Christ, and to beg for what you wish or desire.”[115]
_Cajetan:_ Notice how foolish are some Christians who, when desirous of reaching certain ends attainable by nature or art, are most careful to apply such means, and would rightly regard their hopes as vain unless they applied them; and yet at the same time they have quite false notions of the fruits to be derived from prayer: as though prayer were no cause at all, or at least but a remote one! Whence it comes to pa.s.s that, having false ideas about the causes, they fail to reap any fruit (_on_ 2. 2. 83. 2).
_S. Augustine:_ But some may say: It is not so much a question whether we are to pray by words or deeds as whether we are to pray at all if G.o.d already knows what is needful for us. Yet the very giving ourselves to prayer has the effect of soothing our minds and purifying them; it makes us more fit to receive the Divine gifts which are spiritually poured out upon us. For G.o.d does not hear us because of a display of prayer on our part; He is always ready, indeed, to give us His light, not, indeed, His visible light, but the light of the intellect and the spirit. It is we who are not always prepared to receive it, and this because we are preoccupied with other things and swallowed up in the darkness resulting from desire of the things of earth. When we pray, then, our hearts must turn to G.o.d, Who is ever ready to give if only we will take what He gives. And in so turning to Him we must purify the eye of our mind by shutting out all thought for the things of time, that so--with single-minded gaze--we may be able to bear that simple light that s.h.i.+nes divinely, and neither sets nor changes. And not merely to bear it, but even to abide in it; and this not simply without strain, but with a certain unspeakable joy. In this joy the life of the Blessed is truly and really perfected (_On the Sermon on the Mount_, II. iii. 14).
_S. Augustine:_ He could have bestowed these things on us even without our prayers; but He wished that by our prayers we should be taught from Whom these benefits come. For from whom do we receive them if not from Him from Whom we are bidden to ask them? a.s.suredly in this matter the Church does not demand laborious disputations; but note Her daily prayers: She prays that unbelievers may believe: G.o.d then brings them to the Faith. She prays that the faithful may persevere: G.o.d gives them perseverance to the end. And G.o.d foreknew that He would do these things.
For this is the predestination of the Saints whom _He chose in Christ before the foundation of the world_[116] (_Of the Gift of Perseverance_, vii. 15).
”Thou hast taught me, O G.o.d, from my youth; and till now I will declare Thy wonderful works. And unto old age and grey hairs, O G.o.d, forsake me not, until I shew forth Thy arm to all the generation that is to come.”[117]
III