Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/204

 not granted,  we  should  consider  God's  refusal a real  benefit  rather  than  a  misfortune. In beseeching God  for  temporals  we  should  be indifferent  as  to  the  result  of  our  prayers, being equally  ready  to  accept  a  refusal  or  a favorable  hearing  from Him. If such  should be our  dispositions,  God,  when  refusing  our request, will  not  fail  to  compensate  us  by bestowing  on  us  more  excellent  favors  which we do  not  think  of  asking. 'In vain  does  a child  cry  for  a  sword  or  a  live  coal,'  remarks St. John  Chrysostom;  'his  parents  justly refuse him  what  may  prove  very  hurtful  to him. In like  manner,  God  justly  and  kindly refuses us  what  is  injurious  to  us,  but,  in  His goodness, He  will  give  us  something  better instead.' Let  us  in  all  our  prayers  aim  principally at  the  salvation  of  our  soul,  and  we shall  obtain  also  temporal  favors  from  God, according to  this  saying  of  our  loving  Redeemer: 'Seek  ye  therefore  first  the  kingdom of  God  and  His  justice,  and  all  these things shall  be  added  unto  you'  (Matt.  vi.  33).

"For whom  should  we  pray?  We  should, first  of  all,  pray  for  ourselves,  because  our salvation  is  our  first  and  most  important  duty. Although,  by  the  law  of  charity,  we  are  bound to  pray  for  all  men,  there  are,  nevertheless, some  for  whom  we  have  a  special  obligation or  special  reasons  to  pray.  Children  should daily  pray  for  their  parents,  parents  for their  children,  members  of  the  same  family and  household  or  community  for  one  another