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Objection 1: It would seem that we ought not to ask for anything
definite when we pray to God. According to Damascene (De Fide
Orth. iii, 24), "to pray is to ask becoming things of God";
wherefore it is useless to pray for what is inexpedient, according to
James 4:3, "You ask, and receive not: because you ask amiss."
Now according to Rm. 8:26, "we know not what we should pray for
as we ought." Therefore we ought not to ask for anything definite
when we pray.
Objection 2: Further, those who ask another person for something
definite strive to incline his will to do what they wish themselves.
But we ought not to endeavor to make God will what we will; on the
contrary, we ought to strive to will what He wills, according to a
gloss on Ps. 32:1, "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just."
Therefore we ought not to ask God for anything definite when we pray.
Objection 3: Further, evil things are not to be sought from God;
and as to good things, God Himself invites us to take them. Now it
is useless to ask a person to give you what he invites you to take.
Therefore we ought not to ask God for anything definite in our
prayers.
On the contrary, our Lord (Mt. 6 and Lk. 11) taught His
disciples to ask definitely for those things which are contained in the
petitions of the Lord's Prayer.
I answer that, According to Valerius Maximus [Fact. et Dict.
Memor. vii, 2], "Socrates deemed that we should ask the immortal
gods for nothing else but that they should grant us good things,
because they at any rate know what is good for each one whereas when we
pray we frequently ask for what it had been better for us not to
obtain." This opinion is true to a certain extent, as to those
things which may have an evil result, and which man may use ill or
well, such as "riches, by which," as stated by the same authority
(Fact. et Dict. Memor. vii, 2), "many have come to an evil
end; honors, which have ruined many; power, of which we frequently
witness the unhappy results; splendid marriages, which sometimes bring
about the total wreck of a family." Nevertheless there are certain
goods which man cannot ill use, because they cannot have an evil
result. Such are those which are the object of beatitude and whereby
we merit it: and these the saints seek absolutely when they pray, as
in Ps. 79:4, "Show us Thy face, and we shall be saved," and
again in Ps. 118:35, "Lead me into the path of Thy
commandments."
Reply to Objection 1: Although man cannot by himself know what he
ought to pray for, "the Spirit," as stated in the same passage,
"helpeth our infirmity," since by inspiring us with holy desires,
He makes us ask for what is right. Hence our Lord said (Jn.
4:24) that true adorers "must adore . . . in spirit and in
truth."
Reply to Objection 2: When in our prayers we ask for things
concerning our salvation, we conform our will to God's, of Whom it
is written (1 Tim. 2:4) that "He will have all men to be
saved."
Reply to Objection 3: God so invites us to take good things, that
we may approach to them not by the steps of the body, but by pious
desires and devout prayers.
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