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Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's prayer was not always
heard. For He besought that the chalice of His passion might be
taken from Him, as we read (Mt. 26:39): and yet it was not
taken from Him. Therefore it seems that not every prayer of His was
heard.
Objection 2: Further, He prayed that the sin of those who
crucified Him might be forgiven, as is related (Lk. 23:34).
Yet not all were pardoned this sin, since the Jews were punished on
account thereof. Therefore it seems that not every prayer of His was
heard.
Objection 3: Further, our Lord prayed for them "who would believe
in Him through the word" of the apostles, that they "might all be
one in Him," and that they might attain to being with Him (Jn.
17:20,21,24). But not all attain to this. Therefore not
every prayer of His was heard.
Objection 4: Further, it is said (Ps. 21:3) in the person
of Christ: "I shall cry by day, and Thou wilt not hear." Not
every prayer of His, therefore, was heard.
On the contrary, The Apostle says (Heb. 5:7): "With a
strong cry and tears offering up prayers . . . He was heard for His
reverence."
I answer that, As stated above (Article 1), prayer is a certain
manifestation of the human will. Wherefore, then is the request of
one who prays granted, when his will is fulfilled. Now absolutely
speaking the will of man is the will of reason; for we will absolutely
that which we will in accordance with reason's deliberation. Whereas
what we will in accordance with the movement of sensuality, or even of
the simple will, which is considered as nature is willed not absolutely
but conditionally [secundum quid]---that is, provided no obstacle
be discovered by reason's deliberation. Wherefore such a will should
rather be called a "velleity" than an absolute will; because one
would will [vellet] if there were no obstacle.
But according to the will of reason, Christ willed nothing but what
He knew God to will. Wherefore every absolute will of Christ, even
human, was fulfilled, because it was in conformity with God; and
consequently His every prayer was fulfilled. For in this respect also
is it that other men's prayers are fulfilled, in that their will is in
conformity with God, according to Rm. 8:27: "And He that
searcheth the hearts knoweth," that is, approves of, "what the
Spirit desireth," that is, what the Spirit makes the saints to
desire: "because He asketh for the saints according to God," that
is, in conformity with the Divine will.
Reply to Objection 1: This prayer for the passing of the chalice is
variously explained by the Saints. For Hilary (Super Matth.
31) says: "When He asks that this may pass from Him, He does
not pray that it may pass by Him, but that others may share in that
which passes on from Him to them; So that the sense is: As I am
partaking of the chalice of the passion, so may others drink of it,
with unfailing hope, with unflinching anguish, without fear of
death."
Or according to Jerome (on Mt. 26:39): "He says
pointedly, 'This chalice,' that is of the Jewish people, who
cannot allege ignorance as an excuse for putting Me to death, since
they have the Law and the Prophets, who foretold concerning Me."
Or, according to Dionysius of Alexandria (De Martyr. ad Origen
7): "When He says 'Remove this chalice from Me,' He does not
mean, 'Let it not come to Me'; for if it come not, it cannot be
removed. But, as that which passes is neither untouched nor yet
permanent, so the Saviour beseeches, that a slightly pressing trial
may be repulsed."
Lastly, Ambrose, Origen and Chrysostom say that He prayed thus
"as man," being reluctant to die according to His natural will.
Thus, therefore, whether we understand, according to Hilary, that
He thus prayed that other martyrs might be imitators of His Passion,
or that He prayed that the fear of drinking His chalice might not
trouble Him, or that death might not withhold Him, His prayer was
entirely fulfilled. But if we understand that He prayed that He
might not drink the chalice of His passion and death; or that He
might not drink it at the hands of the Jews; what He besought was not
indeed fulfilled, because His reason which formed the petition did not
desire its fulfilment, but for our instruction, it was His will to
make known to us His natural will, and the movement of His
sensuality, which was His as man.
Reply to Objection 2: Our Lord did not pray for all those who
crucified Him, as neither did He for all those who would believe in
Him; but for those only who were predestinated to obtain eternal life
through Him.
Wherefore the reply to the third objection is also manifest.
Reply to Objection 4: When He says: "I shall cry and Thou wilt
not hear," we must take this as referring to the desire of
sensuality, which shunned death. But He is heard as to the desire of
His reason, as stated above.
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