Fausto Gomez (OP)
In his Diary of a Country Priest, writer Georges Bernanos puts these words in the mouth of the main character, a young, humble, and prayerful good priest: “When has any man of prayer told us that prayer has failed him?” You pray, I pray: Could we say that our prayer has never failed us, that is, that it is always fruitful?
St. Cyprian speaks of fruitful and fruitless prayers: “Prayer with no good works is not effective. Prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving. For he who on the day of the last judgment will reward good works and almsgiving, today also listens favorably to prayers which come from good deeds.” Through life, good prayer is fruitful: “In old age, they will still bear fruit” (Ps 92:15).
With God’s grace, our prayer of petition becomes fruitful: “If you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you… Ask and you will receive” (Jn 16:23-24 and 14:14; Mt 7:7). Jesus did not say: maybe you will receive, but you will receive what you asked for. The promise of Jesus refers primarily to the “giving of the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Lk 11:13); the granting of good things “to those who ask him (Mt 7:11); “If we ask him anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 Jn 5:14); “And we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him” (1 Jn 3:22).
Our faith tells us that God answers our prayers always. But it seemsthat sometimes or many a time, He does not. How come? Well, He will, but may be later. So? Persevere in prayer (cf. Lk 18:1-8). Besides, we know that his answers may not be our answers, as his ways are not our ways (cf. Is 55:8).
The three basic fruits or effects of a humble prayer are an increase of grace, an answer to our petitions and “the sweet enjoyment of God.” St. Thomas Aquinas points out that the benefits of prayer are the remedy of evils, the attainment of what we desire, and the establishment of friendship with God. He adds that to obtain these benefits certain conditions are required, namely: confidence, rectitude, order, devoutness, and humility (The Aquinas Catechism).
True prayer is humble prayer. Prayer is grounded – like all virtues, particularly the theological virtues – in humility, which isa fundamental Christian virtue. We are wounded, week and needy persons and know that without God’s grace and love we can do nothing.
Humble prayer necessarily leads to a growing rejection of sin. The fruit of prayer is our firm resolve to say no to sin! “One cannot sit the contraries, God and sin, at the same table” (St. Teresa). Moreover, prayer is especially helpful against temptation: “Watch and pray” (Mk 14:38).
Devout prayer helps us acquire and strengthen human and infused virtues. Prayer is the mother of all virtues (St. Catherine of Siena). It helps us in the practice and defense of basic human values such as life, truth, freedom, justice, compassion. Prayer permeates the theological virtues and aids them to grow in our hearts.
Meek prayer strengthens our faith in God. St. John Mary Vianney: “I often think that when we come to adore the Lord, we would receive anything we ask for, if we would ask with living faith and with a pure heart.” Christian Prayer is deeply connected with hope. It is an expression of hope, active hope: “Prayer is hope in action” (Benedict XVI).
Humble, faithful and hopeful prayer increases our love, which is the virtue of virtues. Good prayer – St. Teresa underlines – is always a means to love God and neighbor. Furthermore, “Put love where there is none, and you will reap love” (St. John of the Cross). True prayer is necessarily linked to compassion, which is an effect of love as charity.Genuine prayer entails the practice of fraternal love: love of all neighbors, including love of enemies, and primarily love of the poor. St. Vincent de Paul says that “looking after the sick is praying.”
Faithful, hopeful, and loving prayer is a source of courage to carry our cross. Prayer with love makes our cross bearable and even joyful. It helps every Christian to carry out the duties of his/her vocation with joy. Undoubtedly, loving prayer helps us be faithful to our personal vocation (cf. Mk 9:14-29).
Humble, loving prayer leads todoing good work. Prayer must not replace work, but animate, purify, and improve our work, our professional work and also our leisure time. If we are prayerful, our work becomes a prayer.Work needs the breathing of prayer to become a prayer, and certainly prayer time is never wasted time. Pope Francis tells us (EG): “Pray and work…” On one hand, “prayer, interior space, prolonged moments of adoration, prayerful encounter with the word, sincere conversation with the Lord” – all are needed so that “our words do not become meaningless.” Our work is our participation in God’s creation. Good work is the mission of a true vocation with the same fervor as the passion of love. Prayer helps us love our work and the people we work with. K. Gibran says that those who work without loving their work, should not work, but ask for alms at the entrance of the temple (The Prophet).
Is our prayer fruitful? Jesus said: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit … Thus, you will know them by their fruits” (Mt 7:18, 20). One important point – our prayer must be reflected in the growing tree of our life, and thus it is fruitful. Prayer – always with God’s grace and love – can change our life for the better. Prayer then leads us to ascending goodness, love, and happiness: “The good person brings good things out of a good treasure” (Mt 12:35).
Initial question: When has any man of prayer told us that prayer has failed him?
Concluding answer: Never!
(Image: alisadyson@pixabay.com)
Follow
