Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/14

 generally speaking,  only  imparts  to  those  who  ask for it;  and,  according  to  St.  Augustine,   with  the  exception of  the  first  graces,  such  as  vocation  to  the faith or  to  penance  (graces  which  we  receive  without our  own  co-operation),  all  the  others,  notably  that  of perseverance,  are  only  given  to  those  who  pray.

Our Lord,  then,  is  ready  to  grant  us  salvation  and all the  graces  necessary  for  attaining  it,  but  He  exacts that  we  should  demand  them  unceasingly,  even to importunity. Men cannot  bear  with  those  who are importunate,  but  it  is  quite  different  with  God: He wishes  that  we  should  do  violence  to  Him  by prayer. This violence  is  most  agreeable  to  Him,  says Tertullian.

inners, then,  wrongly  excuse  themselves  by alleging  that  they  have  not  the  strength  to resist  temptation. But, replies  the  Apostle St. James  to  them,  if  your  strength  is  not  sufficient, you have  not  because  you  ask  not  (James  iv.  2). For, God is  faithful,  says  St.  Paul,  Who  will  not  suffer  you to be  tempted  above  that  which  you  are  able  (1  Cor.  x. 13). That is  to  say,  God,  by  His  grace,  makes  us capable  of  resisting  all  temptations. When we  invoke Him,  He  imparts  His  divine  strength  to  us  and then we  are  capable  of  all  things,  as  the  Apostle  says of himself:  I  can  do  all  things  in  Him  Who  strengtheneth  me  (Phil.  iv.  13).

We may  conclude  from  what  we  have  said  that, he who  prayeth  shall  certainly  save  his  soul;  he  who prayeth not  shall  certainly  lose  it. All the  blessed, except the  little  children,  have  saved  their  souls  by prayer. All the  damned  have  lost  their  souls  by  not having prayed:  had  they  prayed  they  would  not