On Prayer and The Contemplative Life Part 7

_Cajetan:_ Notice the proof here afforded that those are not devout persons who are habitually sad and gloomy, and who cannot mingle with others without getting into difficulties or dissolving into tears. For devout folk are cheerful, and are full of joy in their souls; and this not solely by reason of the princ.i.p.al cause, as is stated in the text, but also by reason of a secondary cause--the thought, namely, of their own failings. For the sadness of devout folk is _according to G.o.d_, and joy accompanies it; whence S. Augustine's remark: "Let a man grieve, but let him rejoice at his grief."[96] Therefore it is that we read of the Saints that they were joyful and bright; and rightly so, for they had begun upon earth their "heavenly conversation"[97] (_on_ 2. 2. 82. 4).

_S. Augustine:_ For Thee do I yearn, Justice and Innocence, Beautiful and Fair in Thy beauteous light that satisfies and yet never sates! For with Thee is repose exceedingly and life without disquiet! He that enters into Thee enters into the joy of his Lord; he shall know no fear, and in the Best shall be best. But I have deserted Thee and have wandered away, O Lord, my G.o.d! Too far have I wandered from Thee, the Steadfast One, in my youth, and I have become to myself a very land of want! (_Confessions_, II. x.).

FOOTNOTES:

[79] VIII. 9 and X. 29.

[80] x.x.xv. 20-21.

[81] 2 Paral. xxix. 31.

[82] _Ethics_, V. i. 3.

[83] _Of the Divine Names_, chap. iv., part i., lect. 10.

[84] _Sermon VIII.: On the Pa.s.sion of Our Lord._

[85] S. John xix. 15.

[86] _Commentary on S. Luke_ ix. 55.

[87] _De Trinitate_, ix. 12; xv. 23.

[88] Ps. lxxii. 28.

[89] Ps. cxx. 1, 2.

[90] S. Luke xv. 13, 16.

[91] Ps. lxxvi. 4.

[92] Ps. xli. 3.

[93] Lam. iii. 19.

[94] Ps. i. 19.

[95] _De Homine_, xii.

[96] _De Vera et Falsa Poenitentia_, xiii.

[97] Phil. iii. 20.

QUESTION Lx.x.xIII

OF PRAYER

I. Is Prayer an Act of the Appet.i.tive Powers?

Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer based on Friends.h.i.+p II. Is it Fitting to Pray?

Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer as a True Cause S. Augustine, _On the Sermon on the Mount_, II. iii. 14 " _On the Gift of Perseverance_, vii. 15 III. Is Prayer an Act of the Virtue of Religion?

Cardinal Cajetan, On the Humility of Prayer S. Augustine, _On Psalm_ cii. 10 " _Of the Gift of Perseverance_, xvi. 39 IV. Ought We to Pray to G.o.d Alone?

S. Augustine, _Sermon_, cxxvii. 2 V. Should We in our Prayers ask for anything Definite from G.o.d?

S. Augustine, _De Catechizandis Rudibus_, xxv. 47 " _Confessions_, X. xxix.

" _Confessions_, XI. ii. 2 VI. Ought We in our Prayers to ask for Temporal Things from G.o.d?

S. Augustine, _On Psalm_ x.x.xvii. 10 " _Confessions_, I. xx. 2 " _Confessions_, IX. iv. 12 S. Thomas is miraculously relieved from Toothache S. Augustine, _Sermon_, lx.x.x. 7 " _Sermon_, cccliv. 8 VII. Ought We to Pray for Others?

VIII. Ought We to Pray for our Enemies?

S. Augustine, _Sermon_, xv., on _Psalm_ xxv. 8 IX. On the Seven Pet.i.tions of the Lord's Prayer Cardinal Cajetan, On the Grouping of these Pet.i.tions S. Augustine, _Confessions_, VII. x. 2 " _Sermon_, lvii., _on S. Matt._ vi. 7 " _Sermon_, lvi. 9, _on S. Matt._ vi.

" _Sermon_, lvi. 8, _on S. Matt._ vi.

" _Of the City of G.o.d_, xix. 27 S. Thomas's Rhythm, _Adoro Te Devote_ X. Is Prayer Peculiar to Rational Creatures?

XI. Do the Saints in Heaven Pray for Us?

Cardinal Cajetan, On the Saints in Limbo XII. Should Prayer be Vocal?

Cardinal Cajetan, On the Conditions of Vocal Prayer S. Augustine, _Confessions_, IX. iv. 8 " _Confessions_, X. x.x.xiii. 50 " _On Psalm_ cxviii., _Sermon_ xxix. 1 XIII. Must Prayer necessarily be Attentive?

Cardinal Cajetan, On the Varieties of Attention at Prayer S. Augustine, _On Psalm_ lx.x.xv. 7 " _On Psalm_ cxlv. 1 S. Thomas, _On Distractions, Com. on 1 Cor._ xiv. 14 XIV. Should our Prayers be Long?

XV. Is Prayer Meritorious?

S. Augustine, _On Psalm_ xxvi.

" _Ep._ cx.x.x. _ad Probam._ XVI. Do Sinners gain Anything from G.o.d by their Prayers?

XVII. Can We rightly term "Supplications," "Prayers,"

"Intercessions," and "Thanksgivings," parts of Prayer?

Cardinal Cajetan, On the Prayer of the Consecration S. Augustine, _Of Divers Questions_, iv.

I

Is Prayer an Act of the Appet.i.tive Powers?

S. Isidore says[98]: "To pray is the same thing as to speak." Speaking, however, belongs to the intellect. Hence prayer is not an act of the appet.i.tive, but of the intellectual faculties.

According to Ca.s.siodorus, on those words of the Psalmist: _Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication, give ear to my tears_,[99] prayer means "the lips' reasoning." Now there is this difference between the speculative and the practical reason, that the speculative reason merely apprehends things, while the practical reason not only apprehends things, but actually causes them. But one thing is the cause of another in two ways: in one way, perfectly--namely, as inducing a necessity--as happens when the effect comes entirely under the power of a cause; in another way, imperfectly--namely, by merely disposing to it--as happens when an effect is not entirely under the power of a cause.

And so, too, reason is in two ways the cause of certain things: in one way as imposing a necessity; and in this way it belongs to the reason to command not merely the lower faculties and the bodily members, but even men who are subject to us, and this is done by giving commands. In another way as inducing, and in some sort disposing to, an effect; and in this way the reason asks for something to be done by those who are subject to it, whether they be equals or superiors.

But both of these--namely, to command something, or to ask or beg for something to be done--imply a certain arrangement--as when a man arranges for something to be done by somebody else. And in this respect both of these acts come under the reason whose office it is to arrange.

Hence the Philosopher says[100]: "Reason asks for the best things."

Here, then, we speak of prayer as implying a certain asking or pet.i.tion, for, as S. Augustine says[101]: "Prayer is a certain kind of pet.i.tion"; so, too, S. John Damascene says[102]: "Prayer is the asking of fitting things from G.o.d."

Hence it is clear that the prayer of which we are here speaking is an act of the reason.

Some, however, think that prayer is an act of the appet.i.tive powers, thus:

1. The whole object of prayer is to be heard, and the Psalmist says that it is our desires which are heard: _The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor._[103] Prayer, then, is desire; but desire is an act of the appet.i.tive powers.

But the Lord is said to hear the desires of the poor either because their desire is the reason why they ask--since our pet.i.tions are in a certain sense the outward expression of our desires; or this may be said in order to show the swiftness with which He hears them--even while things are only existing in the poor man's desire; G.o.d hears them even before they are expressed in prayer. And this accords with the words of Isaias: _And it shall come to pa.s.s that before they shall call I will hear, as they are yet speaking I will hear._[104]

2. Again, Denis the Areopagite says: "But before all things it is good to begin with prayer, as thereby giving ourselves up to and uniting ourselves with G.o.d."[105] But union with G.o.d comes through love, and love belongs to the appet.i.tive powers; therefore prayer, too, would seem to belong to the appet.i.tive powers.