First Prelude: Behold Jesus exhorting His disciples to persevere in prayer.
Second Prelude: O Jesus, increase my faith and my confidence in prayer, that I may experience the truth of Thy promises.
FIRST POINT
CHRIST’S CONSOLING PROMISES CONCERNING PRAYER
During these days, Holy Church exhorts her children to pray by reminding them of Christ’s consoling promise: “Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it you.” Could Jesus have urged us more effectually than by solemnly assuring us that our prayers will be heard? He, the Son of God, knew full well the goodness of His heavenly Father toward us poor creatures. We believe this truth, and yet our confidence is so weak. If we do not doubt the promise of a friend, how can it be possible for us to lack confidence in the tenderest of all Fathers! “He hath,” says St. Augustine, “set mercy as guard at the portals of His palace, to receive all who come, and to call those who hesitate.” “Hitherto you have not asked anything in My name,” says our Lord. “Ask and you shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” The angels of God are ever waiting to minister unto us, to receive and support our petitions. God requires of us but one thing, namely, confidence, as is but meet in virtue of His infinite perfections. Without it, our prayers will be ineffectual.
How forcibly did not our Blessed Lord encourage the sick, who implored their cure, to have confidence! Complying with this injunction, let us address ourselves with the utmost confidence to our most benign and loving Father, Whose greatest joy it is to dispense the best gifts to His children. Mindful of the words: “If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you,” let us ask during these days of prayer, for preservation and deliverance from all evils of body and soul, and for everything that is necessary and conducive to our happiness for time and for eternity. What a powerful incentive to persevering confidence in this truth!
SECOND POINT
WE SHOULD PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS
Our lack of confidence in prayer originates in our utter spiritual destitution. We behold in ourselves naught but sinfulness and weakness. Have we considered that Jesus includes all in His promises, and in His infinite mercy and love assures all who pray in His name: “If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you.” Jesus would say, in other words, that the efficacy of our prayers is determined not only by the divine promise, but still more by His infinite merits, which the heavenly Father Himself regards as our possession. How could we, therefore, fear not being heard? To pray in the name of Jesus, means, further, to approach the heavenly Father, commissioned by Jesus, to ask for that which He has merited for us by His bitter passion and death, namely, such favors as will secure our eternal salvation. We must pray for that virtue which is most necessary for us; for forgiveness of our sins, for strength in temptation, for the grace to render our life fruitful for the salvation of souls; for the grace of perseverance, for heaven, for God Himself and His everlasting possession. These spiritual goods alone can make us truly happy, and, according to the words of our Blessed Saviour, our joy, perfect. Let us strive, in accordance with the admonition of the Apostle, above all for the gift of prayer; for all good things will come to us through prayer.
Do I always pray in the name of Jesus? Am I deserving of the reproach that I have never asked for anything with real fervor in His name?
Affections: O most loving Jesus, I thank Thee with my whole heart for having promised us, in Thy infinite love, that the Father will give us whatever we ask in Thy name! What infinite love! What divine generosity! My God, my most loving Father, so ardently desires my salvation that He obliges Himself to give me in answer to my petitions whatever may be conducive thereto.
Knowing this, could I ever suffer doubt and mistrust to arise in my heart? O my God, I believe firmly all Thou hast said, and confide with implicit trust in Thy sacred promises. Do Thou, O my Divine Master, Thyself teach me to pray in Thy name in union with Thee, that thus my prayers may be acceptable to Thy heavenly Father, and fruitful for my salvation.
Resolution: To reanimate my confidence in prayer, I will often recall the loving promise of our Divine Lord.
Spiritual Bouquet: “If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you.”
Prayer: Our Father…
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