Question V: What conditions are required for perfect prayer

The Holy Doctor enumerates many conditions of prayer here and there, that it may be acceptable to God.

The first condition for its efficacy is that which I pursued above, namely that it ought to go forth from charity, or at least from a good will of returning to God; for God does not hear obstinate sinners.

The second condition is that it be from Faith and Hope: Si habueritis fidem, et non haesitaveritis, dicetis monti, etc. Matth. 17., and Omnia quaecunque credentes petieritis, in oratione recipietis, and James 1: Postulet autem in fide, nihil haesitans.

Next indeed, in speculo disciplinae ad Novitios, p. 1. cap. 12., he requires two things beforehand for prayer, by which as it were on wings the soul is borne to God, namely meditation and knowledge of the Divine goodness and mercy, by which we are lifted up; and consideration of our own unworthiness and misery, that thus we may approach God more eagerly and humbly.

Hence, little by little, he attaches three conditions in the little work de perfectione vitae ad sorores, cap. 5. The first is that, approaching prayer with heart and body erect, you think of your own vileness, how many sins you have committed, how ungrateful you have been to God, O Soul, whither through sin you tend, toward the fires of everlasting death, that thus you may be humbled like the Publican, Luke 18., striking your breast and saying: Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori, and roar with David saying, Psal. 37: Rugiebam a gemitu cordis mei, and with Magdalene wet the feet of the Lord: Stans retro, Luke 7. Thus says St. Isidore, de summo bono l. 3. cap. 7.: When we stand before God in prayer, we ought to groan and weep, calling to mind how grave are the things we have committed, how hard the punishments of hell that we fear.

The second condition is that, acknowledging the goodness and beneficence of God, he render thanks to God, as the Apostle warns: Orationi instantes, vigilantes in ea in gratiarum actione. For nothing more disposes a man to receive new benefits than grateful remembrance of past ones. Therefore St. Augustine, epist. 57.: What better do we carry in the mind, pronounce with the mouth, and express with the pen, than thanks to God? This can neither be said more briefly, nor heard more widely, nor understood more gladly, nor done more fruitfully.

Therefore you ought, O Soul, in prayer itself, to meditate with thanksgiving, because God made you a man, a Christian; because he forgave you innumerable sins; because you would have fallen into many sins if the Lord had not kept you; because he did not permit you to die in the world; because he chose you for the highest and most perfect Religion, and feeds you without labor of your own; and because for you he was made man, circumcised, baptized, etc. See St. Bonaventure. For thanksgiving is useful in prayer, nor can any prayer avail without it; for ingratitude, as St. Bernard says, serm. 51. in Cant., is a burning wind, drying up the fountain of piety, the dew of mercy, and the streams of grace.

The third condition, that attentively your heart think on that alone which it prays for: for it is unworthy that a divided heart come to God. Whence, on that text, Psal. 118: Clamavi in toto corde meo, the Gloss says: Divisum cor non impetrat, quod petit, and this Christ urged, Matth. 6: Tu autem cum oraveris, intra in cubiculum, et clauso ostio, ora Patrem — clauso, namely the heart, says the Holy Doctor, and guarded; for Prayer, as St. Augustine says, l. de spiritu, et anima, cap. 50., is the conversion of the mind to God through a pious and humble affection. Enter with intense desire, whereby the Psalmist: Os meum aperui, attraxi spiritum: for prayer is a bucket by which the grace of the Holy Spirit is drawn up. See wondrous things in the Holy Doctor there.

Moreover, the Holy Doctor commends ad 11. Lucae perseverance in prayer, from the example of Christ, who, Luke 22: Factus in agonia, prolixius orabat: And Paul, Hebr. 5., says: Qui in diebus carnis suae, preces, supplicationesque ad eum, qui posset illum salvum facere a morte, cum clamore valido, et lacrymis offerens exauditus est pro sua reverentia. Whence, Matth. 26., he prayed three times; and he admonished the disciples to pray throughout that whole hour. And Luke 6. it is said: Erat pernoctans in oratione Dei. And cap. 18.: Oportet semper orare, et non deficere. And Eccles. 18.: Non impediaris orare semper. He considers this more subtly there, Luke 11., in that parable of the friend, to whom, in the quiet of the untimely night, the importunate man goes, asking for bread; and he, though he refused within, saying: Noli mihi molestus esse, iam ostium clausum est, et pueri mei mecum sunt in cubili — whose paternal love cannot be lost, as is said in Isaiah 49 — yet he adds: Et si perseveraverit pulsans, surget, et dabit illi, etc.

A MOST SPLENDID example also St. Bonaventure considers, cap. 18. Lucae, in that little Widow, who, often importuning the Judge, merited to obtain justice. See, I beseech you, the Holy Doctor in both places, and you will lick lips anointed with sweetness. See him also on Luke 6 there: Erat pernoctans; and serm. 4. de uno S. Confessore, where he sets down also Thessalonians: Sine intermissione orate, and the Israelites, 1 Reg. 12.: Ne cesses pro nobis orare, etc.

SPEAKING, moreover, of the Ruler whose daughter was dying, Luke 8., the Holy Doctor says: Since therefore he approached the presence of Christ with reverence, asked out of confidence, desired out of indigence, therefore his prayer was heard, according to that, Eccles. 4.: Rogationem contribulati ne abiicias: et non auertas faciem tuam ab egeno. He also comments splendidly on that text, Thren.: Non des requiem tibi, et non taceat pupilla.

AND on the fifth chapter of Luke, on these words: Ipse autem secedebat in desertum, et orabat, the Holy Doctor says: Because he did not seek but fled human glory and fame, according to that, Matth. 14: Dimissa turba ascendit in montem solus orare, in which he gave us the form of withdrawing from the world and approaching God, and therefore prayer ought to be hidden, whence Matth. 6: Intra in cubiculum, et clauso ostio, etc. And St. Bernard, serm. 46. in Cant.: O holy soul, be alone, that you may keep yourself for the one God alone, whom you have chosen for yourself from among all. Flee the public, flee, and your very domestics: Do you not know that you have truly the same Spouse, and one who by no means wishes to indulge you with his presence while others are present? Withdraw therefore, but in mind, not in body; although even in body you do not separate yourself idly, especially at the time of prayer.

THE Holy Doctor confirms these conditions of prayer from the Fathers in the places cited, and in lib. 2. Pharetrae cap. 45. et 46., especially from St. Gregory, in Regist. l. 11. indice 6. cap. 3., and l. 22. Moral. cap. 21., and homil. 27. in Euang.; from St. Augustine, epist. 121. cap. 10., and serm. 126. de temp., and l. 20. de ciuit. cap. 17.; from St. Chrysostom, Opere Imperf. homil. 13.; from St. Ambrose, in Psal. 118. octon. 8.; from St. Isidore, in synon. cap. 4., and de summo bono l. 1. cap. 23., and l. 3. cap. 7.; Damascene, l. 3. de fide, cap. 24.; Bernard, epist. de vita solut. epist. 78. et 201., and in Cantic. serm. 7. et 18., and serm. de 4. modis orandi; and other Fathers.

HENCE, gathering his sails, he infers here and there why the just are sometimes not heard. Thus on Psal. 22: Clamabo per diem et non exaudies. But the just man is not heard for a threefold cause: either because he prays for something perverse and evil. Thus Samuel, 1 Reg. 15., was not heard, praying for Saul. Secondly, on account of the manner of praying; thus, Matth. 20., the sons of Zebedee were not heard. Thirdly, by reason of a greater good; thus Paul, 2 Corinth. 12., was not heard while he prayed to be delivered from the molesting evil spirit.

The Holy Doctor adduces the same causes in l. 2. de profectu Religiosi, cap. 71. He adds others. First, if he hesitates, Iacob. 1. Second, that man may be provoked more to persist, as St. Gregory says, homil. 25. in Euang. Whence Chrysostom, homil. 30. in Genes.: God for this reason delays his benefit, that what he gives may not be cheap to us. Third, that grace may be reserved for a more opportune time: Thus, Exodi 33., Moses was not heard, that afterward he might see the face of God. Fourth, that he may ask for the suffrages of others also; thus, 4. Reg. 19. et Isa. 37., Ezechias sent to Isaias, that he might pray for himself and for the people; and cap. 22., Iosias sent to Holda; and Rom. 15: Obsecro, ut iuuetis me in orationibus vestris. Et Matth. 18: Si duo ex vobis consenserint, etc.

OTHERS, moreover, he says, are not heard because they ask badly, as is said in Iacobi 1.; and therefore he presses the question concerning what things are to be asked for.