Section 22
71. St. Augustine says God does not answer some of our prayers because we ask for the wrong things. What are those things?
"And so, may it be love alone that remains; for he himself is our fruit. And for the moment this love remains as ardent desire, not yet fulfilled or wholly enjoyed, and whatever it be that we ask in the name of the only-begotten Son will the Father give us. But we should not think that that which does not serve us in the order of salvation could be asked in the Savior's name; for we ask only that which helps along the path of salvation.""'
Christ taught us to pray in order to teach us how to desire God, how to love him.24' Given that "prayer is the source of our salvation,"242 it would be tragic to turn it toward our own downfall, because "to ask for things outside of the blessed life is to ask for nothing.i243 And since we know what we want, but not necessarily what God wants 2" Augustine helps his entrusted flock to know what not to ask for:
• Worldly
• The downfall of him who plots against
• Temporal joy alone;24.
Anything that would incur guilt;249
Anything that would hinder salvation;250
• Anything evil."'
"I do not think anyone will find anything in these things that matches what is contained in the Lord's Prayer. We should be ashamed if we were to ask for such things, even if we are not ashamed to desire them. But if we should be ashamed that we desire them and, nonetheless, feel the desire for them, how much better would it be if we were to ask to be liberated from this sick desire by him to whom we pray, `Deliver us from evil'!"2s2