On Prayer and The Contemplative Life Part 14

XVI

Do Sinners gain Anything From G.o.d by their Prayers?

S. Augustine says[244]: "If G.o.d did not hear sinners, in vain would the publican have said, _G.o.d be merciful to me a sinner_"; and S. Chrysostom says[245]: "_Every one that asketh receiveth_--that is, whether he be just man or sinner." Hence the prayers of sinners do win something from G.o.d.

In a sinner we have to consider two things: his nature, which G.o.d loves; his fault, which G.o.d hates. If, then, a sinner asks something of G.o.d formally as a sinner--that is, according to his sinful desires--G.o.d, out of His mercy, does not hear him, though sometimes He does hear him in His vengeance, as when He permits a sinner to fall still farther into sin. For G.o.d "in mercy refuses some things which in anger He concedes,"

as S. Augustine says.[246] But that prayer of a sinner which proceeds from the good desire of his nature G.o.d hears, not, indeed, as bound in justice to do so, for that the sinner cannot merit, but out of His pure mercy, and on condition, too, that the four above-mentioned conditions are observed--namely, that he prays for himself, for things needful for his salvation, that he prays devoutly and perseveringly.

Some, however, maintain that sinners do not by their prayers win anything from G.o.d, thus:

1. It is said in the Gospel,[247] _Now we know that G.o.d doth not hear sinners_; and this accords with those words of _Proverbs[248]; He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination_. But a prayer which is "an abomination" cannot win anything from G.o.d.

But, as S. Augustine remarks,[249] the words first quoted are due to the blind man as yet unanointed--viz., not yet perfectly illumined--and hence they are not valid; though they might be true if understood of a sinner precisely as such, and in this sense, too, his prayer is said to be "an abomination."

2. Again, just men obtain from G.o.d what they merit, as we have said above. Sinners, however, can merit nothing, since they are without grace, and even without charity which, according to the Gloss[250] on the words, _Having an appearance of piety, but denying the power thereof_, is "the _power_ of piety." And hence they cannot pray piously, which, as we have said above, is requisite if prayer is to gain what it asks for.

But though a sinner cannot pray piously in the sense that his prayer springs from the habit of virtue, yet his prayer can be pious in the sense that he asks for something conducive to piety, just as a man who has not got the habit of justice can yet wish for some just thing, as we have pointed out above. And though such a man's prayer is not meritorious, it may yet have the power of winning favours; for while merit reposes upon justice, the power of winning favours reposes upon grace.

3. Lastly, S. Chrysostom says[251]: "The Father does not readily hear prayers not dictated by the Son." But in the prayer which Christ dictated it is said: _Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors_, which sinners do not. Hence sinners either lie when they say this prayer, and so do not deserve to be heard, or, if they do not say it, then they are not heard because they do not make use of the form of prayer inst.i.tuted by Christ.

But, as we have explained above, the _Lord's Prayer_ is spoken in the name of the whole Church. Consequently, if a man--while unwilling to forgive his neighbour his debts--yet says this prayer, he does not lie; for while what he says is not true as regards himself, it yet remains true as regards the Person of the Church outside of which he deservedly is, and he loses, in consequence, the fruit of his prayer. Sometimes, however, sinners are ready to forgive their debtors, and consequently their prayers are heard, in accordance with those words of Ecclesiasticus[252]: _Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt thee, and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest._

"With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way. When he shall fall, he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth His hand under him. I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread."[253]

XVII

Can We rightly term Supplications," "Prayers," "Intercessions," and "Thanksgivings," parts of Prayer?

The Apostle says to Timothy[254]: _I desire therefore first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made by all men._

For prayer three things are required: first of all, that he who prays come nigh to G.o.d; and this is signified by the name _prayer_, for prayer is "the uplifting of the mind towards G.o.d." Secondly, pet.i.tion is required, and is signified by the word _postulation_; now a pet.i.tion may be set forth in definite terms--and this some term _postulation_, properly so called; or it may be set forth in no express terms, as when a man asks for G.o.d's help, and this some call _supplication_; or, again, the fact in question may be simply narrated, as in S. John[255]: _He whom Thou lovest is sick_, and this some call _insinuation_. And thirdly, there is required a reason for asking for what we pray for, and this reason may be either on the part of G.o.d or on the part of the pet.i.tioner. The reason for asking on the part of G.o.d is His holiness, by reason of which we ask to be heard: _Incline Thine ear and hear ... for Thine own sake, O my G.o.d_;[256] to this belongs _obsecration_--namely, an appeal to sacred things, as when we say: _By Thy Nativity, deliver us, O Lord_! But the reason for asking on the part of the pet.i.tioner is thankfulness, for by giving thanks for benefits already received we merit to receive still greater ones, as is set forth in the Church's _Collect_.[257] Hence the Gloss[258] says that in the Ma.s.s "_Obsecrations_ are the prayers which precede the Consecration," for in them we commemorate certain sacred things; "in the Consecration itself we have _prayers_," for then the mind is especially uplifted towards G.o.d; "but in the subsequent pet.i.tions we have _postulations_, and at the close _thanksgivings_." These four parts of prayer may be noticed in many of the Church's _Collects_: thus in the _Collect_ for Trinity Sunday, the words _Almighty and Everlasting G.o.d_ signify the uplifting of the soul in prayer to G.o.d; the words: _Who hast granted to Thy servants to acknowledge in their profession of the true faith the glory of the Eternal Trinity, and in the Power of Its Majesty to adore Its Unity_, signify giving of thanks; the words: _Grant, we beseech Thee, that by perseverance in this same faith we may be ever defended from all adversities_, signify postulation; while the closing words: _Through our Lord Jesus Christ_, etc., signify obsecration.

In the _Conferences of the Fathers_, however,[259] we read: "_Obsecration_ is imploring pardon for sin; _prayer_ is when we make vows to G.o.d; _postulation_ is when we make pet.i.tion for others; _giving of thanks_, those ineffable outpourings by which the mind renders thanks to G.o.d." But the former explanation is preferable.

Some, however, object to these divisions of prayer, thus:

1. _Obsecration_ is apparently _to swear by someone_, whereas Origen remarks[260]: "A man who desires to live in accordance with the Gospel must not swear by anyone, for if it is not allowed to swear, neither is it allowed to swear by anyone."

But it is sufficient to remark that _obsecration_ is not a swearing by, or adjuring of G.o.d, as though to compel Him, for this is forbidden, but to implore His mercy.

2. Again, S. John Damascene says[261] that prayer is "the asking G.o.d for things that are fitting." Hence it is not exact to distinguish _prayers_ from _postulations_.

But prayer, generally considered, embraces all the above-mentioned parts; when, however, we distinguish one part against another, _prayer_, properly speaking, means the uplifting of the mind to G.o.d.

3. Lastly, giving of thanks refers to the past, whereas the other parts of prayer refer to the future. Hence giving of thanks should not be placed after the rest.

But whereas in things which are different from one another the past precedes the future, in one and the same thing the future precedes the past. Hence giving of thanks for benefits already received precedes pet.i.tion; yet those same benefits were first asked for, and then, when they had been received, thanks were offered for them. Prayer, however, precedes pet.i.tion, for by it we draw nigh to G.o.d to Whom we make pet.i.tion. And _obsecration_ precedes _prayer_, for it is from dwelling upon the Divine Goodness that we venture to approach to Him.

_Cajetan:_ We might be asked how the mind can be especially elevated to G.o.d at the moment of consecration. For in the consecration the priest has to express distinctly the words of consecration, and consequently cannot have his mind uplifted towards G.o.d at that moment. Indeed, the more his mind is uplifted to G.o.d, the less he thinks of inferior things, words, and so forth.

But in the consecration of the Holy Eucharist--in which the priest in a sense brings G.o.d down upon earth--the very greatness of our uplifting of mind towards the Divine Goodness Which has thus deigned to come amongst us is the very reason for our attention to the words in the act of consecration, and makes the priest p.r.o.nounce them distinctly and reverently. Some scrupulous folk, however, concentrate their whole attention on being intent and attentive; but this is really a distraction, and not attention, for its object is precisely the being attentive. The uplifting, then, of our minds to G.o.d in the consecration has indeed to be the very greatest, not, indeed, intensively and by abstraction from the things of sense, but objectively and concentrated--though always within the limits compatible with attention--on the endeavour to say the words as they should be said (_on_ 2. 2. 83. 17.)

_S. Augustine: And David went in and sat before the Lord[262]; and Elias, casting himself down upon the earth, put his face between his knees._[263] By examples such as these we are taught that there is no prescribed position of the body in prayer provided the soul states its intention in the presence of G.o.d. For we pray standing, as it is written: _The Publican standing afar off_. We pray, too, on our knees, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles;[264] and we pray sitting, as in the case of David and Elias. And unless it were lawful to pray lying down, it would not be said in the Psalms[265]: _Every night I will wash my bed, I will water my couch with my tears_. When, then, a man desires to pray, he settles himself in any position that serves at the time for the stirring up of his soul. When, on the other hand, we have no definite intention of praying, but the wish to pray suddenly occurs to us--when, that is, there comes of a sudden into our mind something which rouses the desire to pray "with unspeakable groanings"--then, in whatsoever position such a feeling may find us, we are not to put off our prayer; we are not to look about for some place whither we can withdraw, for some place in which to stand or in which to make prostration. For the very intention of the mind begets a solitude, and we often forget to which quarter of the heavens we were looking, or in what bodily position the occasion found us (_Of Divers Questions_, iv.).

"Hear, O G.o.d, my prayer, and despise not my supplication; be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled at the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have cast iniquities upon me, and in wrath they were troublesome to me. My heart is troubled within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me. Fear and trembling are come upon me, and darkness hath covered me. And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?"[266]

FOOTNOTES:

[98] _Etymologies_, x., _sub litt._ O.

[99] Ps. x.x.xviii. 13.

[100] _Ethics_, I. xiii. 15.

[101] Raba.n.u.s Maurus, _De Universis_, vi. 14.

[102] _On the Orthodox Faith_, iii. 24.

[103] Ps. x. 17.

[104] Isa. lxv. 24.

[105] _Of the Divine Names_, vi. 1.

[106] Ps. xxvi. 4.

[107] Art. XV.

[108] Isa. lxiv. 8, 9.

[109] xviii. 1.

[110] Mal. iii. 14.

[111] _Dialogue_, i. 8.

[112] S. Matt. vi. 32.

[113] 1 Kings xv. 29.

[114] _Of Good Deeds_, ii. 1.

[115] _Hom._ II., _On Prayer_; also _Hom._ x.x.x., _On Genesis_.