St. Augustine Answers 101 Questions on Prayer
49. What is prayer of petition?
Prayer of petition is born of the awareness of our need. But the mere fact that we ask God for things speaks not only of our indigence but also of his ability and disposition to grant what we ask. Indeed, Christ assures us of this: Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it will opened to you (Matt. 7:7). St. Augustine takes up this theme saying, that God "has every intention of giving, but only to him who asks, so as not to give something to one who would refuse to take it."147 Therefore, "we have no other hope than that of having confidence in our petitioning
Nonetheless, we are confronted with some problems in all of this. Does our petitioning inform him of what he does not know? - for he is omniscient. Does our asking change his will? In the next few chapters Augustine tackles these questions with the mental agility of a genius and the heart of a pastor of souls.
50. Is prayer of petition necessary if before we ask him, he knows what we need?
"This would cause our minds consternation if we did not understand that the Lord our God requires us to ask him - not that he discovers what our wishes are, for it cannot be unknown to him -but that through our prayer, the petitions made in us bring about the proper dispositions of desire with which we ought to receive whatever he grants us. His gifts are indeed great, yet we are petty and ungracious in receiving. Thus, we are told, Do not harness yourselves in an uneven team of unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14). Because in proportion to the simplicity of our faith, the determination of our hope, and the passion of our desire, we will better receive that which is immensely great, which eye has not seen, because it has no color; which ear has not heard, because it has not sound; and which has not entered into the heart of man, because the heart of man has to ascend to it (cf. 1 Cor. 2:9)."149
"We need words, therefore, so that in using them, we are helped to consider what it is we ask for - not in order to inform God or move him to
Augustine says elsewhere that God, who is all good, wants us to ask of him good things: "If you would be good, ask God to make you good. But there is another good by which you can do good, and that is whatever good you possess.""' And in doing so, we grow in confidence in him. "Therefore, if you want to be righteous, be God's beggar, since he just exhorted us in today's Gospel to ask, to seek, to knock ... he exhorts you to ask. Will he refuse you what you
"How much more will the Good One give who commands us to ask and is displeased when we do not ask? Even when he gives slowly, it is to show us the value of his good things - he is not refusing us them. Those things which we have desired for a long time are gotten with great pleasure, whereas those things which came easily are held in disdain. So, seek, ask quickly. Because by your seeking and asking you will grow in order to receive more. God reserves for you what he does not want to give you quickly, so that you learn to long with great desire for the best of things. Thus, we should pray without ceasing.""'
51. What about those who do not know to pray for themselves? Are they lost?
The ability and the desire to pray are gifts from God, and they are given to everyone in different degrees. It is written on our nature that we should seek God and speak to him. Nonetheless, we find many who claim they do not. And still others claim they will not. But "there are gifts that God gives even to those who do not pray, such as the birth of faith. And there are gifts that God gives only to those who pray, such as final perseverance.""'
52. What makes our prayer of petition more efficacious?
St. Augustine cites Sacred Scripture, his perennial source of inspiration, for the answer to this. In this passage, he is asking for prayer of intercession for himself and instructs Proba, the recipient of the letter, how to get the best results.
"By all means, pray for me in earnest. I would not want your deference for the high office I hold, one replete with dangers, to defer from giving me the help I know I need so much. The family of Christ [the Church] prayed for Peter and Paul. And I rejoice that you are in that family, for I need prayers exceedingly more than Peter and Paul ever needed the help of the brethren. With one heart, imitate each other in a holy rivalry, because you struggle not with each other, but with the Devil, common enemy of all the saints.
"By fasting, long watches, and every type of mortification of the body, prayer is supported (Tob. 12:8). Each should do what she can. If someone is incapable of doing something, let another take it upon herself, and she will accomplish it through that other one ... The one who can accomplish less should not hold the others back. The one who can accomplish more should not lord it over those who cannot. Your conscience is responsible before God - you owe nothing to each other except mutual love. May the Lord who can do all we can ask or imagine hear your prayers.""'
Although our fasting, mortification, and vigils are helpful - indeed, necessary - "God has ordained that we fight more with prayer than with our own efforts.""' So, "strive in prayer to be victorious in overcoming this world. Pray with hope, pray with faith and love. Pray with perseverance and patience.""'
53. How can we receive what God bestows graciously?
It's important to recognize that not only the pleasant things are his blessings. "When Christ our Lord has come and dwelt in the soul by faith, and has promised yet another light, and has inspired and given patience, and has warned the man not to delight in prosperity or be crushed by adversity, the faith-filled man begins to treat this world with indifference. Suddenly he is not lifted up when prosperity comes his way, nor is he crushed under adversity, but he learns to praise God in all things - when he is rich and when he is in poverty, in health and sickness, in such a way that the hymn is truly his, I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth (Ps. 23:2). Therefore, to answer the question, we should receive it all with God's praise in our mouth, regardless of the nature of the gift, because we praise the Giver, not the