Page:MaryHelpOfChristians.djvu/50

 b. When  there  is  question  of  benefits  and graces of  the  second  and  third  class,  we  must  concede that  perseverance  or  continuance  in  prayer  is neither  impossible,  nor  is  it  unreasonable. God is willing  to  grant  us  His  almighty  help,  but  at the  same  time  He  desires  that  we,  being  convinced of its  necessity,  implore  it  all  the  more  eagerly, and thereby  become  more  worthy  to  receive  it when  He  shall  be  pleased  to  grant  our  petitions. Therefore

4. Resignation  to  the  will  of  God  is  a  necessary condition  for  the  efficacy  of  our  prayer. This quality of  our  prayer  needs  no  lengthy  explanation;  its  application  to  prayer  is  self-evident.

Finally the  petition  for  a  certain  benefit,  in order  to  be  reasonable  and  permissible,  must  include the  following  two  attributes:  (a)  The  object prayed for  must  not  be  harmful,  but  profitable; (b) it  must  not  be  opposed  to  the  will  of  God.

Conclusions. — Careful observation  will  convince us  that  prayer  is  often  wanting  in  one  or more  of  the  above  qualities. Often that  which one seeks  to  obtain  by  prayer  is  not  promotive  of God's  glory  and  of  the  salvation  of  souls,  even considered from  a  human  point  of  view,  much  less in the  designs  of  Providence.

In cases  where  the  object  of  prayer  in  itself presents no  difficulties,  it  is  often  defective  for want of  devotion  or  perseverance. But oftenest