Chapter II — On Prayer, and its necessity

I. Another act of Religion is prayer, which St. Thomas thus defines, from Damascene, II-II, q. 83, art. 1: Prayer is a petition of fitting things from God. The word petition holds the place of the genus; the other clause indicates that fitting things are to be sought in prayer; the last clause, from God, constitutes prayer an act of Religion. For from God both natural and supernatural gifts must be sought. By this petition we confess God the principle of all things, revere his excellence, subject ourselves to him, and implore from him the succors of our need. Prayer is an act of the intellect, although Religion resides in the will.

II. Prayer is one interior, or mental; the other exterior, or vocal. Holy Scripture commends each. Of the former the royal Prophet says, Psalm 38: In my meditation a fire shall flame out. This prayer is by no means placed in a certain mental idleness, or in a mere suspension of the intellect and in a certain passive inertness, as the Quietists contended; but in acts of the intellect and of the will, by which we recall with fervent zeal the divine attributes — his goodness, clemency, justice, and the infinite benefits which God confers upon us — and by which we weigh our own weakness, need, and poverty: in acts of love, desire, confidence, and other pious affections by which we long for heavenly things, it shines forth entire. The other prayer is vocal, which is accomplished by mind and words together. Of this St. Paul speaks, Hebrews 13: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is to say, the fruit of lips confessing to his name. Although words are not absolutely necessary, since nothing is hidden from God, and he knows our weakness; nevertheless these exterior signs are necessary — both because man consists of mind and body, and according to both parts he ought to subject himself to God and serve him; and because not the soul alone, but the body also, needs divine aids; and finally because these exterior words kindle interior affections the more easily, and foster them, and entice the neighbor's reason to devotion.

III. Question I. Is prayer necessary with the necessity of means? Answer. St. Thomas affirms it, II-II, q. 83, art. 2, ad 1, and on the fourth book, distinction 15, question 4, article 1, to whom the graver Theologians subscribe. The Angelic Doctor drew this doctrine from Gennadius, who, book On ecclesiastical dogmas, chapter 56, says: We believe that no one comes to salvation unless invited by God; that no one who has been invited works his salvation unless God aids him; that no one deserves aid unless he prays. Finally the Council of Trent confirms our opinion, session 6, chapter 11, saying: God commands not impossible things; but by commanding, he admonishes you both to do what you can, and to ask for what you cannot, and he aids you that you may be able.

IV. This necessity is also drawn from the very weakness of human nature. For so great is the rebellion of human appetites against reason, and so great the struggle, that without grace we can scarcely fight, much less conquer. Now this is the order instituted by divine providence, that this grace not be granted unless it be entreated by prior prayers. That God can give his gifts to those who do not ask, who is there who could call this into controversy? But at present our discourse is of the necessity of prayer, the order of divine providence being regarded. Does not the very instinct of nature excite both the beggar to the petition of alms, and the sick man to imploring medicine from the Physician? Finally, the conjunction between God and man, and their mutual commerce, proves it. For if God distributed his gifts to the slothful and the mute, men, prone to earthly things, would scarcely remember their divine Benefactor. Wherefore the mercy of God shines forth greatly in this very burden imposed of asking for his gifts, since this burden looks to this end: that men be bound to God by a stricter bond, a perpetual tie, and a mutual conjunction.

V. God forestalled Paul, not praying, but persecuting Christ. What follows from this? We freely confess that God bestows the first illuminations, and the first prevenient and stirring grace, without prayers. But we defend the necessity of prayer for obtaining the second grace, for persevering in it, and for obtaining glory.

VI. Question II. Is there a precept of praying? Answer. All affirm it, and the holy Scriptures show it luminously: Watch ye, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: Matthew 26 [recte]; and St. Luke, chapter 18: We ought always to pray, and not to faint; and St. Paul: Pray without ceasing: to the Thessalonians [recte], chapter 5; and again to Timothy, chapter 2: I will therefore that men pray in every place ... in like manner women also. This precept St. Thomas thus explains, II-II, q. 83, art. 3, ad 2: Not only to ask what we desire, but also to desire something rightly, falls under precept; but to desire indeed falls under the precept of charity, while to ask falls under the precept of Religion: which indeed is set down, Matthew 7: Ask, and you shall receive. The reason is plain from what has been said. Prayer is necessary with the necessity of means, as has been said; therefore, by a stronger right, it is necessary with the necessity of precept.

VII. Question III. At what determinate time does the precept of prayer press? Answer. All the Fathers, in accordance with the oracles of the divine Scripture, persuade that we pray continually. Not a few recent Casuists, with their petty distinctions, all but take away the precept of praying from the midst. They distinguish an obligation of itself and an obligation by accident; directly, and indirectly. And, that I may not seem to impose upon them, let us hear Tamburini, easily the prince of the more benign Casuists, who, book 2 on the Decalogue, chapter 4, § 2, number 4, writes this: I hold here what I said above, chapter 1, § 1, number 8, concerning the precept of faith, hope, and charity: namely, that there is no certain and determinate time at which it obliges directly; but that it is that time at which it obliges indirectly — namely, when the necessity presses of acquiring some good, or of a threatening evil, or of a temptation to be averted, which we then perceive we cannot acquire or avert without the help of God. The doctrine of this author concerning faith, hope, and charity — to which he refers back this his opinion on the precept of prayer — has been proscribed, unless everything deceives me, by Alexander VII in the first thesis: A man is at no time of his life whatever bound to elicit an act of faith, etc.; and by Innocent XI in the sixth thesis: It is probable that the precept of charity towards God does not, of itself, rigorously oblige even once in every five years. That the obligation of prayer is the same as that of the said precepts, Tamburini himself confesses. The former opinion has been proscribed; therefore so has the second. From this doctrine of Tamburini it follows that Christians are of necessity exempt, of themselves, from the precept of Religion of worshipping God. For the primary act of Religion is prayer. If...

Christians were absolutely, directly, and of themselves not bound to invoke God and to give him thanks for benefits received, it is established that Religion is of itself and directly reduced to nothing: for, the primary act of Religion being taken away, Religion itself must needs fail.

VIII. Setting aside, then, the lax doctrine of Tamburini and of others like him, all the Fathers and the graver Theologians affirm that the precept of prayer obliges of itself. The more recent Theologians are divided in designating the time at which this precept presses. Many defend the position, as do the Salmanticenses and others, that it obliges only once in a year. This opinion I reject as evidently false. Others teach that it obliges once each month — an opinion which the Salmanticenses and others disapprove as harsh and hard. But even in this censure they are shamefully deceived.

IX. These opinions set aside, the doctrine of the divine Scriptures must be kept, which commands us to pray without ceasing. Does he pray without ceasing who prays only once, either in a year or in a month? Continually, then, must we pray — not physically, but morally. This moral continuation consists in this, that we pray frequently. But how great and what kind of frequency is required, that prayer be morally continuous, cannot be precisely defined. I set down what is certain.

X. That the precept of praying presses on every Lord's day is certain to me. For the precept of sanctifying the Sabbath, and now the Lord's day, is divine. It cannot be sanctified without prayer. Therefore, by the same worship with which we ought to honor the Lord's day, we are bound to pray on such a day, since without an elevation of the mind to God, that is, without prayer, the precept cannot be kept. Does the institution of feast days pertain to this — that Christians dissolve in idleness, and devote their effort to vain solaces and recreations? Christians, then, are bound by a twofold precept of praying to God: one natural and divine; the other ecclesiastical, by force of which, on feast days, while they assist at the sacrifice of the Mass, they ought to add their own prayers to the prayers of the Priests, as St. Thomas teaches on the fourth book, distinction 15, question 4, article 1, question 3 [recte]: Prayer falls under precept both determinately and indeterminately. Determinately indeed to certain prayers are bound by precept those who by office are constituted mediators between God and the people, as the ministers of the Church: whence it lies upon them by office to pour forth prayers to God in the person of the Church; and therefore by the statute of the Church they are bound to recite the canonical hours. But indeterminately anyone is bound to prayer from this very fact, that he is bound to procure for himself spiritual goods, which are given only from on high; whence they cannot be procured in another way except by being asked of him: and also from this very fact, that by the precept of charity one is bound to love his Neighbor as himself, he is bound to be beneficent to him in necessity, not only through corporal alms, but also through spiritual ones, of which one is prayer, as has been said before. But upon all, even those who do not exercise the ministry of the Church, a determinate time of praying seems to have been established by the Church, since by the statute of the canons they are bound, on feast days, to be present at the divine offices, that they may conform their intention to that of the ministers praying for the people.

XI. Certain men will obtrude the specter of Rigorism. But that I may stop their mouths, I ask: what burden, I pray, do we impose upon Christians, which in very deed even sinning Christians themselves — not to speak of the well-mannered — do not render? What Christian, illumined by the light of nature alone, would not count it a fault in himself, if on the Lord's day, if throughout an entire week, he poured out no prayers to God? What of the fact that even sinners themselves accuse themselves in sacramental confession, as I have frequently heard, of omitted daily prayers, and reckon themselves guilty of fault, when they do not recite the Lord's prayer and the apostles' creed daily? Christians instructed in the best morals pray to God every day, not once, but at least twice a day. Beggarly, proud, sick, and stupid Christians, who on any given day do not remember God, nor implore the aids by which they might decline the continual floods of temptations, wallow in the continual mire of vices, and frequently violate the precept of praying. For who would not be accused of pride, folly, and blindness, if, pressed by extreme necessity, they were unwilling to open their lips to demand the medicines and aids necessary for relieving their own infirmity?

XII. Hence you may gather that this doctrine contains nothing of severity, but interprets the holy Scriptures sincerely and in their obvious sense. God commands that we pray without ceasing. This continuation of prayer is not physical but moral, as I have said — namely, at a fitting time. This affirmative precept admits the exception of parvity of matter. Wherefore Christians ought not to torment themselves with any scruples as to whether they have gravely offended against the precept of praying; but let them busy themselves in correcting their negligence, and in kindling the fervor of prayer. Nor ought Confessors, if they find some lukewarm and negligent in praying, straightway condemn them of grave fault; but let them instruct them to pray frequently, to raise their mind to God at least twice a day, namely in the morning and in the evening. All the precepts of Christ are most sweet to those who observe them, who in very deed bear the yoke of the Law. But the yoke is rough and hard only to those who are unwilling to carry it, and who, after the manner of beasts, are the slaves of shameful deeds.

XIII. Question IV. Does he sin against the virtue of Religion who, assailed by a grave temptation, neglects to pray to God? Answer. Someone suffers a most grave temptation, for example, against chastity. He neglects to implore divine aid, and consents to the temptation. Does he here perpetrate two crimes — one against chastity, the other against the virtue of Religion? Lessius, Villalobos, Prado, the Salmanticenses, and others deny it. Graver Theologians, with St. Thomas, affirm it. This opinion is more probable to me, and true. For the precept of praying obliges of itself several times at least in a year; and, according to the adversaries themselves, it presses by accident at the time of a most grave temptation. Therefore it is violated when prayer is neglected in such an event. Therefore this Christian commits two sins: one against chastity, the other against the virtue of Religion. The precept of praying to God at a time of grave or most grave temptation regards not only this — that the temptation be overcome — but also that the worship due to God be offered. For this order seems to have been instituted by divine providence for this reason: that the tempests of tribulations, and the floods of temptations, compel us to flee to God, and to worship him, and to call upon him for our help and defense. Would not a poor man be accused of a cruelty of grave fault against himself, if, pressed by extreme misery, he neglected to implore alms from one ready to give them? And will not he be guilty of grave fault who, about to perish eternally, refuses to ask the necessary defense from a God most ready to succor him? For the Lord says: Ask, and you shall receive. Do you multiply sins? you will say. Nay, that sins may not be multiplied, I press the precept of applying the remedies by which sins are prevented. For this is why men frequently fall into sins: because they refuse to apply the remedies of not sinning; because they neglect fervently to ask for the grace by which they may come off victors over temptations. Without a peculiar grace of God we cannot overcome the gravest temptations; therefore the precept of praying is equal to the precept of overcoming temptations. Those multiply sins who whittle down the precept of prayer, who take out of the way the remedies against sins established by the divine Physician, who deny the frequent obligation of praying. Let Confessors, then, admonish their penitents that they fall frequently into shameful deeds for this reason: because they neglect to pray sincerely to God, because they wear away and squander in idle conversations, in vain solaces, the time which they ought to consecrate to prayer. For the life of Christians is a life of prayer, and of perpetual commerce and dealing with God, from whom arms and defenses against the devil, the flesh, and the world must be sought.