IV. Perservering in Love
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"Pray constantly . . . always and for everything giving thanks in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father."33 St. Paul adds,
"Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To
that end keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the
saints."34 For "we have not been commanded to work, to keep
watch and to fast constantly, but it has been laid down that we are to pray
without ceasing."35 This tireless fervor can come only from love.
Against our dullness and laziness, the battle of prayer is that of humble,
trusting, and persevering love. This love opens our hearts to three
enlightening and life-giving facts of faith about prayer.
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It is always possible to pray: the time of the Christian is that of the risen
Christ who is with us always, no matter what tempests may arise.36 Our
time is in the hands of God:
It is possible to offer
fervent prayer even while walking in public or strolling alone, or seated in
your shop, . . . while buying or selling, . . . or even while cooking.37
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Prayer is a vital necessity. Proof from the contrary is no less convincing: if
we do not allow the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of
sin.38 How can the Holy Spirit be our life if our heart is far from
him?
Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible,
what is difficult, easy.... For it is impossible, utterly impossible, for the
man who prays eagerly and invokes God ceaselessly ever to sin.39
Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly
damned40
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Prayer and Christian life are inseparable, for they concern the same love and
the same renunciation, proceeding from love; the same filial and loving
conformity with the Father's plan of love; the same transforming union in the
Holy Spirit who conforms us more and more to Christ Jesus; the same love for
all men, the love with which Jesus has loved us. "Whatever you ask the
Father in my name, he [will] give it to you. This I command you, to love one
another."41
He "prays without
ceasing" who unites prayer to works and good works to prayer. Only in this
way can we consider as realizable the principle of praying without
ceasing.42
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