THE CONDITIONS OF PRAYER.
THE most necessary conditions of prayer, are humility, confidence, and perseverance. — St. Liguori. He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble.—Psalm ci 18. God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.— St. James iv 6. The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds ; and he will not depart till the Most High behold.—Ecclus. XXXV 21. A contrite and humble heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.—Psalm 1. 19. Thou who savest them that trust in thee.—Ibid. xvi 7. Because he hoped in me, I will deliver him and glorify him.—Ibid. xc 14, 15. But they that hope in the Lord, shall renew their strength.—Isaias xl 31. Not one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded. —Ecclus. ii 11. They that trust in the Lord, shall be as Mount Sion.—Psalm cxxiv 1. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in thee.—Psalm xxxii 22. He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, that is moved and carried about by the wind. Therefore, let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.–St. James i 6,7. Go; and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee.—Matt. viii 13. All things whatsoever you ask, when ye pray, believe that you shall receive; and they shall come unto you.—Mark xi 24. God protects and saves all who confide in him.—St. Liguori. They that hope in the Lord shall lay aside their weakness, and put on the strength of God; they shall not faint, nor even be fatigued, in ireading the rugged ways of salvation.—Ibid. Thou, O Lord, dost not pour the oil of mercy, unless into vessels of confidence.—St. Bernard. The prayer of the just man is the key of heaven; his petition ascends, and God's mercy descends.—St. Aug. Trusting in the divine promises, lei us ever pray with confidence, not wavering, but strong and firm.—St. Liguori. To obtain final perseverance, we must continue to pray to the end of our lives. If, by our negligence, we break the chain of our prayers, the chain of graces, on which our salvation depends, will also be broken.—Ibid, Oh! how the constant application to God by prayer, and the confident expectation of receiving from him the graces we stand in need of, enkindle in us the fire of divine love, and unite us to the Divinity. Ibid. We must continue to pray until we receive the sentence of eternal salvation.—Ibid.
