16 March, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

How We Should Pray

1. When Jesus asked us to pray, He promised to answer our prayers. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you.” (Mt. 7:7) “If you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you.” (John 16:23) God cannot break His promises. Why, then, do our prayers often remain unanswered? There are several reasons, but the main one is that which is pointed out by St. James. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss.” (James 4:3) Some people say a few prayers with their lips only, but without any real faith or confidence that they will be answered. Jesus told the heartbroken father who begged Him to free his son from an evil spirit: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:22) Then He healed the unfortunate boy. It is necessary to have complete confidence if we wish our prayers to be answered.

Other people ask for worldly favours without ever giving a thought to their spiritual welfare. But Jesus taught us to act otherwise. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be given to you besides.” (Mt. 6:33) There are those who look for favours, such as bodily health or riches, which could lead to their spiritual destruction if they obtained them. Sometimes God delays His answer in order to test our faith and perseverance. It is important that we should pray with a right intention, with faith and perseverance, and with resignation to God's will. We must realise clearly that God will grant us whatever is best for us at the most suitable moment.

2. We must pray with deep humility as well. Once again we find that the Man-God Jesus has given us an example. In Gethsemane He fell prostrate on the ground and begged that, if it were possible, the bitter chalice might be taken away from Him. Immediately He added with full submission to the will of His Heavenly Father: “Yet not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) Let us remember, moreover, the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The former appeared to be full of virtue, but he was proud and was rejected. The latter recognised in all humility that he was a poor sinner, and he was exalted. “Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:11) "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal.” (Ecclus. 35:17) When we kneel down to pray, therefore, we should make an act of humility. We are poor beggars, as St. Augustine puts it, before the throne of God. Let us pray with confidence in God's goodness, but also with a proper realisation of our own helplessness. Then God will take pity on us.

3. Finally, our prayer should be persevering. Perseverance in prayer is always rewarded by God, especially during times of temptation. The Gospel is full of examples of the way in which perseverance is rewarded. Remember the blind man of Jericho, who was rebuked for his persistent entreaties. Nevertheless, he went on shouting: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Cf. Luke 18:35-43) His prayer was eventually answered. Remember the Centurion. Although he was a pagan, he requested the cure of his paralysed servant with such outstanding faith and perseverance that Jesus granted what he asked. “Not even in Israel,” said Jesus, “have I found such great faith.” (Luke 7:9) Remember the parable of the three loaves which were so persistently demanded in the middle of the night until they were at last obtained. (Cf. Luke 11:5) Remember Mary, the sister of Lazarus, and the Samaritan woman. Remember Jairus, and the man suffering from dropsy. Above all, remember the Canaanite woman who almost snatched a miracle from the hands of Jesus by her humility and perseverance. A confident spirit of perseverance always wins the heart of God, Who sometimes waits before answering our prayers in order to enkindle our desire, to make us pray more, and to reward our perseverance by a liberal bestowal of His favours. So continue to pray with confidence, humility and perseverance, and God will certainly answer.