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 law, it  is  not  sufficient  to  have  received  divine lights, to  have  meditated,  and  to  have  taken firm resolutions. God's actual  help  is  also necessary. Now, this  actual  help  is  only granted by  Our  Lord  to  those  who  pray  perseveringly  for  it. The lights  we  receive,  and the earnest  consideration  and  firm  resolutions which we  make,  have  the  effect  of  inciting  us to  have  recourse  to  prayer  in  the  time  of  temptation and  when  in  danger  of  offending  God; by prayer  we  obtain  the  divine  help  necessary for keeping  us  from  sin,  and  if,  under  these circumstances, we  were  to  neglect  praying,  we should  undoubtedly  be  lost."

This truth  is  emphasized  by  other  saints

"Nothing good  can  be  expected  from  a  man who  does  not  pray." —St. Francis of  Assisi.

"God bestows  some  favors  without  prayer, such  as  the  beginning  of  faith;  others,  such as  perseverance,  are  granted  only  to  those who  pray." — St. Augustine.

"To enter  heaven,  continual  prayer  is necessary  after  Baptism;  for  although  all sins  are  remitted  by  that  sacrament,  there still  remain  concupiscence  to  assail  us  from within,  and  the  world  and  the  devil  to  attack us  from  without." — St. Thomas.

"By prayer  is  obtained  the  possession  of every  good,  and  deliverance  from  every evil." — St. Bonaventure.

It follows  from  these  various  sayings  that without prayer  there  can  be  no  true  virtue, strength to  resist  evil,  no  good  death,  no