按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Therefore I say unto you； What things soever ye desire； when ye
pray； believe that ye receive them； and ye shall surely have
them。〃 And Luke xi： 〃Ask； and it shall be given you； seek； and
ye shall find； knock； and it shall be opened unto you； for every
one that asketh receiveth； and he that seeketh findeth； and to
him that knocketh it shall be opened。 Or what father is there of
you； who； if his son shall ask bread； will he give him a stone？
or if he ask a fish； will he give him a serpent？ or if he ask an
egg； will he give him a scorpion？ But if you know how to give
good gifts to your children； and you yourselves are not naturally
good； how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give a
good spirit to all them that ask Him！〃
V。 Who is so hard and stone…like； that such mighty words ought
not to move him to pray with all confidence！ joyfully and gladly？
But how many prayers must be reformed； if we are to pray aright
according to these words！ Now； indeed； all churches and monastic
houses are full of praying and singing； but how does it happen
that so little improvement and benefit result from it； and things
daily grow worse？ The reason is none other than that which St。
James indicates when he says： 〃You ask much and receive not；
because ye ask amiss。〃 For where this faith and confidence is not
in the prayer； the prayer is dead； and nothing more than a
grievous labor and work。 If anything is given for it； it is none
the less only temporal benefit without any blessing and help for
the soul； nay； to the great injury and blinding of souls； so that
they go their way； babbling much with their mouths； regardless
of whether they receive； or desire； or trust； and in this
unbelief； the state of mind most opposed to the exercise of faith
and to the nature of prayer； they remain hardened。
From this it follows that one who prays aright never doubts that
his prayer is surely acceptable and heard； although the very
thing for which he prays be not given him。 For we are to lay our
need before God in prayer； but not prescribe to Him a measure；
manner； time or place； but if He wills to give it to us better
or in another way than we think； we are to leave it to Him； for
frequently we do not know what we pray； as St。 Paul says； Romans
viii； and God works and gives above all that we understand； as
he says； Ephesians iii； so that there be no doubt that the prayer
is acceptable and heard； and we yet leave to God the time； place；
measure and limit； He will surely do what is right。 They are the
true worshipers； who worship God in spirit and in truth。 For they
who believe not that they will be heard； sin upon the left hand
against this Commandment； and go far astray with their unbelief。
But they who set a limit for Him； sin upon the other side； and
come too close with their tempting of God。 So He has forbidden
both； that we should err from His Commandment neither to the left
nor to the right； that is； neither with unbelief nor with
tempting； but with simple faith remain on the straight road；
trusting Him； and yet setting Him no bounds。
VI。 Thus we see that this Commandment； like the Second； is to be
nothing else than a doing and keeping of the First Commandment；
that is； of faith； trust； confidence； hope and love to God； so
that in all the Commandments the First may be the captain； and
faith the chief work and the life of all other works； without
which； as was said； they cannot be good。
But if you say： 〃What if I cannot believe that my prayer is heard
and accepted？〃 I answer： For this very reason faith； prayer and
all other good works are commanded； that you shall know what you
can and what you cannot do。 And when you find that you cannot so
believe and do； then you are humbly to confess it to God； and so
begin with a weak spark of faith and daily strengthen it more and
more by exercising it in all your living and doing。 For as
touching infirmity of faith （that is； of the First and highest
Commandment）； there is no one on earth who does not have his good
share of it。 For even the holy Apostles in the Gospel； and
especially St。 Peter； were weak in faith； so that they also
prayed Christ and said： 〃Lord； increase our faith 〃； and He very
frequently rebukes them because they have so little faith。
Therefore you shall not despair； nor give up； even if you find
that you do not believe as firmly as you ought and wish； in your
prayer or in other works。 Nay； you shall thank God with all your
heart that He thus reveals to you your weakness； through which
He daily teaches and admonishes you how much you need to exercise
yourself and daily strengthen yourself in faith。 For how many do
you see who habitually pray； sing； read； work and seem to be
great saints； and yet never get so far as to know where they
stand in respect of the chief work； faith； and so in their
blindness they lead astray themselves and others； think they are
very well off； and so unknowingly build on the sand of their
works without any faith； not on God's mercy and promise through
a firm； pure faith。
Therefore； however long we live； we shall always have our hands
full to remain； with all our works and sufferings； pupils of the
First Commandment and of faith； and not to cease to learn。 No one
knows what a great thing it is to trust God alone； except he who
attempts it with his works。
VII。 Again： if no other work were commanded； would not prayer
alone suffice to exercise the whole life of man in faith？ For
this work the spiritual estate has been specially established；
as indeed in olden times some Fathers prayed day and night。 Nay；
there is no Christian who does not have time to pray without
ceasing。 But I mean the spiritual praying； that is： no one is so
heavily burdened with his labor； but that if he will he can；
while working； speak with God in his heart； lay before Him his
need and that of other men； ask for help； make petition； and in
all this exercise and strengthen his faith。
This is what the Lord means； Luke xviii； when He says； 〃Men ought
always to pray； and never cease；〃 although in Matthew vi。 He
forbids the use of much speaking and long prayers； because of
which He rebukes the hypocrites； not because the lengthy prayer
of the lips is evil； but because it is not that true prayer which
can be made at all times； and without the inner prayer of faith
is nothing。 For we must also practise the outward prayer in its
proper time； especially in the mass； as this Commandment
requires； and wherever it is helpful to the inner prayer and
faith； whether in the house or in the field； in this work or in
that； of which we have no time now to speak more。 For this
belongs to the Lord's Prayer； in which all petitions and spoken
prayer are summed up in brief words。
VIII。 Where now are they who desire to know and to do good works？
Let them undertake prayer alone； and rightly exercise themselves
in faith； and they will find that it is true； as the holy Fathers
have said； that there is no work like prayer。 Mumbling with the
mouth is easy； or at least considered easy； but with earnestness
of heart to follow the words in deep devotion； that is； with
desire and faith； so that one earnestly desires what the words
say； and not to doubt that it will be heard： that is a great deed
in God's eyes。
Here the evil spirit hinders men with all his powers。 Oh； how
often will he here prevent the desire to pray； not allow us to
find time and place； nay； often also raise doubts； whether a man
is worthy to ask anything of such a Majesty as God is； and so
confuse us that a man himself does not know whether it is really
true that he prays or not； whether it is possible that his prayer
is acceptable； and other such strange thoughts。 For the evil
spirit knows well how powerful one man's truly believing prayer
is； and how it hurts him； and how it benefits all men。 Therefore
he does not willingly let it happen。
When so tempted； a man must indeed be wise； and not doubt that
he and his prayer are； indeed； unworthy before such infinite
Majesty； in no wise dare he trust his worthiness； or because of
his unworthiness grow faint； but he must heed God's command and
cast this up to Him； and hold it before the devil； and say：
〃Because of my worthiness I do nothing； because of my
unworthiness I cease from nothing。 I pray and work only because
God of His pure mercy has promised to hear and to be gracious to
all unworthy men； and not only promised it； but He has also most
sternly； on pain of His everlasting displeasure and wrath；
commanded us to pray； to trust and to receive。 If it has not been
too much for that high Majesty so solemnly and highly to obligate
His unworthy worms to pray； to trust； and to receive from Him；
how shall it be too much for me to take such command upon myself
with all joy； however worthy or unworthy I may be？〃 Thus we must
drive out the devil's suggestion w