Of Prayer as a Remedy: Some Ejaculatory Prayers Suitable for Time of Temptation

pass must always be much recommended as a means, for it is a most general remedy, and one of the chief remedies which Holy Writ and the saints give us; and Christ Himself teaches it in the holy Gospel: Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation (Matt. xxvi. 41). And He taught us not only by word, but also by His own example that night of His Passion, preparing Himself for the conflict with a long and earnest prayer, not that He needed it Himself, but to teach us what to do in all our temptations and adversities. The Abbot John used to say that a religious should be like a man carrying in his left hand fire, and in his right hand water, that whenever the fire threatened to seize him, he might forthwith pour water on it and put it out. So, when the fire of an unclean and evil thought threatens to seize us, we should at once have at hand the cooling waters of prayer to put it out. He brings also another comparison, and says that a religious is like a man sitting under a large tree, who, seeing many serpents and wild beasts coming against him, unable to resist them, climbs up the tree and so saves himself. In like manner the religious, when he sees temptations coming, must mount up on high by prayer and have recourse to God, and so he will find salvation and deliverance from the temptations and snares of the devil. In vain is the net cast in sight of winged creatures (Prov. i.17). The devil will labor in vain, casting his nets, if we know how to soar on high with the wings of prayer. Mine eyes are ever on the Lord, because he will pluck my feet from the snare (Psalm xxiv. 15).

We dilated on this in the First Volume; now wewill gather some ejaculatory prayers, whereby we may avail ourselves at such times. Holy Scripture is full of them, especially the Psalms. Such are: Lord, I suffer violence, answer for me (Isaias xxxviii. 14). Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord, arise and do not abandon me forever. Why hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our need and tribulation? (Psalm xliii. 23). Take up thine arms and thy buckler, and arise in our defense: say to my soul, I am thy salvation (Psalm xxxiv. 2). How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, how long wilt thou turn away thy face from me? How long shall mine enemy glory over me? Look upon me, Lord, and hear me, and enlighten mine eyes, that I may never sleep in death, nor ever mine enemy say, I have prevailed over him (Psalm xii. 1-5). Thou, Lord, art my refuge and defense in time of need and tribulation (Psalm ix. 10). My hope, O Lord, and my joy shall be to see myself under the shadow and shelter of thy wings (Psalm lIvi. 2; lxii. 8). St. Augustine took great delight in this reflection, and would say to God: “Lord, I am a fledgling, tender and weak; if Thou defendest me not, the kites will carry me off.” Keep me, O Lord, under the shadow of thy wings (Psalm xvi. 8). There is special marvelous efficacy for this purpose in the beginning of the Sixty-Seventh Psalm, because, as we set up against them in our defense not our own strength, but the strength of God, distrusting ourselves and invoking the favor of His Divine Majesty, our enemies lose heart and fly, seeing that God is coming forward against them in our cause. St. Athanasius affirms that many servants of God have experienced much benefit in their temptations from the recital of this verse. Sometimes with these and the like words of Holy Scripture, which are especially efficacious, sometimes by words gushing out from our necessity and need—which also are very efficacious—we should always keep ready at hand this remedy of having recourse to God in prayer. So Father Master Avila was wont to say: “Temptation to you, and you to God.” J will lift wp mine eyes to the high mountains, whence all help and support is to come to me. My help is of the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm exx. 1-2). And we should take care that these cries and sighs come forth, not merely from the lips, but from the innermost depths of the heart, according to that word of the prophet: Out of the depths have I cried to thee, O Lord (Psalm cxxix. 1). St. Chrysostom says on those words: “He did not speak nor cry merely with the lips, for the tongue can often speak when the heart is distracted—but from the deepest and innermost depths of his heart, with great fervor, he cried to God.”