Lecture 2 — Prayer

^6:5^ And when you pray, you will not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: amen I say to you, they have received their reward. [n. 568]

^6:6^ But you when you will pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. [n. 575]

^6:7^ And when you are praying, do not speak much, as the heathens. For they think that in their speaking much they may be heard. [n. 578]

^6:8^ Be not therefore like to them, for your Father knows what is needful for you, before you ask him. [n. 581]

568. And when you pray. Above the Lord shows what is not to be done regarding almsgiving for the sake of human glory; here he shows the same thing regarding prayer.

And concerning this he does two things:

first, he teaches the way of praying;

second, he teaches what should be in a prayer of petition: therefore you will pray thus (Matt 6:9).

569. Concerning the first he does two things:

first, he teaches them to avoid the vanity of hypocrites in prayer;

second, to avoid the vanity of gentiles, at when you are praying.

570. Concerning the first he does two things:

first, he excludes an unfitting manner of praying;

second, he designates what is fitting, at but you.

571. He excludes the manner of praying by the example of the hypocrites: hence he first excludes this example, second explains, third, assigns the reason. The second is at who love to stand and pray; the third, at amen I say to you.

Fittingly enough after almsgiving, here he deals with prayer, for as Sirach says: before prayer, prepare your soul (Sir 18:23). For by good works, among which almsgiving is first, the soul is prepared for prayer: let us lift up our hearts with our hands (Lam 3:41), which happens when good works accord.

572. And it should be noted that the Lord does not compel us to pray, but teaches us the manner of praying. And this is when you pray, you will not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and street corners. By hypocrites is understood pretenders who do everything for human praise. And although this vice is to be avoided in every work, nevertheless it is especially to be avoided in prayer, according to Chrysostom, because prayer is a certain sacrifice that we offer God from our innermost hearts: *let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice (*Ps 141:2). A sacrifice is not allowed to be offered except to God; but it is offered to men if it is done for human glory. And such prayers are idolatry.

But the hypocrites are described as to their affection, place, pride, and intention. As to the first, he says who love. For sometimes a certain titillation of vainglory happens in holy men, but they are not counted among the hypocrites unless they act for that purpose: in the desire of his heart (Jer 2:24).

573. And note there are two kinds of hypocrites who openly seek human glory, that is, who pray in public places. Hence he says, in synagogues, where the congregation of the people prays: congregation (Ps 82:1). There are others who pray in private places and seek glory by this very avoidance of glory: for they wish to seem to seek privacy, although nevertheless they love what is public. And this is in the synagogues and street corners. For if they were truly seeking secrecy, they would not seek the corners of boulevards, but an enclosed place; or rather they would say that they seek a public area. But there are two kinds of public places: certain ones are set aside for prayer, like synagogues; others are not, namely, street corners. And it is properly a corner where two lines intersect. Hence street corners, where two streets intersect, so that there is a crossroads; and this is extremely public, and not designated for prayer: *the stones of the sanctuary are scattered (*Lam 4:1).

It should also be noted that one of the things at work in prayer is humility: the prayer of the humble and meek has always pleased you (Jdt 9:16). He has had regard to the prayer (Ps 102:17). But these people stand as though proud.

574. But it seems that in no place would it be forbidden to pray: I wish that men pray in every place (1 Tim 2:8); in the churches bless (Ps 68:26). But it should be said that it is not a sin except under the intention that they may be seen by men. And, as Chrysostom says, although willing to be seen by men is harmful in other works, nevertheless it is especially so in prayer: for it damages both the end and the constancy, for even if it is done with a good intention, a man can scarcely hold his mind so that it does not wander off into diverse things; much less, then, when this is done for the sake of human glory. And this is that they may be seen.

But then should one not pray in a public place? It should be known that the Lord intends to prohibit the manner of praying so that vainglory is removed, which is never sought except by someone on his own, for when there are many who keep one manner of praying, glory is not sought before one another. Hence the Lord removes the individual manner of praying, that namely, no one should pray in a place not designated for prayer, except someone with such authority that he may even lead others in prayer. Hence according to Chrysostom, the fact that he says **street corners **is to be referred to everything by which you seem to be set apart from the others with whom you associate.

575. Amen I say to you. Here he assigns the reason. And he says two things: **reward **and their. The reward of each person is that by which he is fed from his work. Hence when we do anything for the glory of men, the glory of men is our reward, although nevertheless we should wait for the true glory of God. And this is they have received their reward because they have usurped it: what things a man will sow, those also will he reap (Gal 6:8).

But you. Here he sets down the due manner. And first he sets it down; second, he assigns the reason: and your Father. Therefore he says when you will pray, i.e., when you are disposed to pray, enter into your chamber. This is explained three ways. First, it is understood literally about a separated room. But do not those who go to the church do the opposite? But it should be said that he speaks of private prayer which is only to be done in a private place. And this for three reasons. First, because it agrees with the faith, for then you confess that God is present everywhere: *Lord, all my desire is before you (*Ps 38:9); *do I not fill heaven and earth? (*Jer 23:24). Second, because prayer which in private is quiet, is hindered when with many others: I will lead her into solitude: and I will speak to her heart (Hos 2:14). Third, because vainglory is avoided: and David went in, so that he could pray before the Lord (2 Sam 7:18); alone, that is, and having shut the door, literally, so that you exclude also the possibility of anyone coming in.

576. Second, by the chamber can be understood the secret interior of the heart: the things you say in your hearts (Ps 4:4). Door, mouth: make doors and bars to your mouth (Sir 28:28), as though he said: pray silently. And this for three reasons. First, because it attests to the faith, for then you confess that God knows the thoughts of your heart: man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart (1 Sam 16:7). Second, because it is not appropriate that others know your petitions: my secret to myself (Isa 24:16). Third, because if you speak aloud, you may impede others’ prayer: neither hammer nor axe . . . was heard (1 Kgs 6:7).

But what will we say about public prayer? It should be said that the Lord speaks about private prayer in which the benefit of one person is sought, but in public prayer the good of the multitude is also sought. And because some people are excited to devotion by sounds of this kind, chant was instituted. Hence Augustine says in the book of Confessions, that blessed Athanasius, lest he become too delighted by the chants, wanted everything to be read quietly. But because before he converted blessed Augustine found chants very beneficial, he did not dare to speak against them, but approved them.

577. But a question arises: should someone praying in private say words or not? But here it should be distinguished that sometimes words arise from intention, sometimes from the impulse of the heart, for, as is said: who can withhold the words he has conceived? (Job 4:2). Hence by the impulse of the Spirit some people are brought to the point of speaking words, and this is the whole effect.

But words can be considered two ways: either as owed, and then they should be said, like the Hours: I cried to the Lord with my voice (Ps 142:1); or as useful for praying, and then a distinction should be made about the beginning and the end, for better is the end of a prayer than the beginning (Eccl 7:9). For if in the beginning of a prayer the affections are excited to devout prayer by words, then it is useful to bring in words; but when the affections are not excited by this, then no words should be uttered and the affections should be shut up, for just as heat is diminished by evaporation, so affections are emptied out by words, as is also clear in expressing sorrow to others: my heart grew hot within me (Ps 39:3); *then I said: I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name (*Jer 20:9). This is how Chrysostom explains, but having shut the door.

578. In the third way, as Augustine explains, by chamber the heart is meant, by the door the external senses as well as the imagination; for such a person should enter his heart and close his senses and imagination so that nothing comes in except what pertains to his prayer. And Cyprian assigns two reasons: first, because it is blameable if you do not attend to what you say when you speak with any king; second, because how will God understand you if you do not understand yourself? This is the door that is spoken of: I stand at the door and knock (Rev 3:20).

And your Father. Here he assigns the reason. For no one prays except to someone who sees him. But to God all things are naked and open (Heb 4:13). In secret, whether of the heart or of place, he will repay you.

And when you are praying. Here he teaches us to avoid the second vice, namely, the verbosity of the gentiles. And concerning this he does three things: first, he teaches us to avoid the example of the gentiles, second, he sets down the intention, third, he assigns the reason. The second is at for they think; the third, at be not therefore like to them. Therefore he says when you are praying. And note that he does not say: do not pray a lot, for that is against what is said in Romans: constant in prayer (Rom 12:12); and in Luke: in his agony, he prayed the longer (Luke 22:43).

579. He passed the whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12). But he says do not speak much. Augustine, in his book On Prayer: let there not be much speech but much supplication if a fervent intention is not lacking. But much and little, great and small, are relative. For much can be said two ways in relation to prayer, which is a raising up to God. They speak much when the words go outside the prayer, and this can be in two ways: namely, if the words are about something illicit, and these are harmful; and when there is no devotion, then man becomes rather bored and praying becomes hateful. And thus Augustine says that monks in Egypt had frequent but brief prayers. For they saw that devotion was necessary in the one praying, but it was emptied out by a multitude of words. And thus in the Church it was established that different things are said at different hours: speak not anything rashly (Eccl 5:1). Augustine: this matter, that is, prayer, is more in groaning than in words.

580. As the heathens. The gentiles worship demons for their gods: all the gods of the gentiles are devils (Ps 96:5). It should be considered in demons that they do not know the future or hidden things of the heart unless they are revealed to them. Hence it was necessary for the gentiles to say everything with words: Cry louder! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened (1 Kgs 18:27).

Likewise, demons have changeable affections: hence by words they can be changed. Hence Augustine says that Plato said that they were flattered by words; but God both knows all things and is not persuaded by words: I, the Lord, do not change (Mal 3:6); God is not a man . . . that he should be changed (Num 23:19); I will not spare them their words framed in prayer (Job 41:3).

581. For they think that in their speaking much they may be heard. Be not therefore like to them. And why? For your Father knows: *all my desire is before you (*Ps 38:9). Therefore if he knows, we do not need to multiply our words. But it is said: God knows what we need; why then do we pray? And Jerome answers that we do not ask in words so that we may show, but so that we may request.

582. And likewise it can be said: why do we bring forth words? Augustine answers that we act differently in prayer to God than to a man, for with a man words avail greatly in persuading him; but with God, they avail in raising our heart to him. And thus Augustine says that although we should always have an affection for God, nevertheless, it is fitting to pray with words sometimes so that we do not lose it. And as Chrysostom says, by frequent prayer it comes about that man is made familiar with God and God with him: the Lord would speak with Moses (Exod 33:9). Likewise by this, humility comes about, for the highness of God and our own weakness are considered: I will speak to my Lord (Gen 18:27). Likewise, by this a man is directed in his actions and seeks help from God: I have lifted my eyes to the mountains, from whence help will come (Ps 121:1); whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord, not for men (Col 3:23).