Page:MyPrayerBookHappinessInGoodness.djvu/74

 who pray. Prayer is  knocking  at  the  gate  of  heaven; and we  have  Our  Lord's  assurance,  Knocks  and  U  shall be opened  to  you  (Luke  xi.  9).

"Ask, seek,  knock"  (Matt.  vii.  7):  that  denotes earnestness of  petition. Ask, and  fear  not  to  ask,  for temporal favors,  as  health  and  victory,  yet  so  that  they make for  the  salvation  of  your  soul. "Seek ye  first the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His  justice,  and  all  these  things shall  be  added  unto  you"  (Matt.  vi.  33).

No one,  I  persuade  myself,  enters  heaven,  who  has not either  prayed  much  or  been  prayed  much  for. But my salvation  is  100  precious  to  me  for  me  to  leave  it to  the  charity  of  others. I will  help  myself  and  pray  for myself. — Ye  are  Christ's.

f a man  finds  it  very  hard  to  forgive  injuries,  let A him  look  at  a  crucifix,  and  think  that  Christ  shed all His  blood  for  him,,  and  not  only  forgave  His  enemies, but even  prayed  His  heavenly  Father  to  forgive  them also. Let him  remember  that  when  he  says  the  "Our Father"  every  day,  instead  of  asking  pardon  for  his sins, he  is  calling  down  vengeance  on  himself."  —  St. Philip  Neri.

"If you  will  forgive  men  their  offences,"  says  Our Lord, "your  heavenly  Father  will  forgive  you  also  your offences"  (Matt.  vi.  14).

"Dismiss all  anger,"  says  St.  Thomas  of  Villanova, and look  a  little  into  yourself. Remember that  he  of whom  you  are  speaking  is  your  brother,  and  as  he  is  in the  way  of  salvation,  God  can  make  him  a  saint,  not