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 at last  rewarded,  for  "Jesus  answering,  said to  her:  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith;  be  it done  to  thee  as  thou  wilt.  And  her  daughter w^as  cured  from  that  hour"  (Matt.  xv.  21-28). If we  also  persevere  in  prayer  as  she  did,  we also  shall  be  favorably  heard  by  God  in  His own good  time.

A lack  of  perseverance  in  prayer  argues  a lack  of  earnest  desire. God, by  deferring  to hear  us,  does  not  refuse  our  prayers,  but  will even grant  us  far  more  than  we  ask. Speaking on this  subject,  St.  Jerome  says:  "God, knowing  the  weight  and  measure  of  His  goodness, sometimes  appears  insensible  to  our prayers,  in  order  to  try  us,  to  urge  us  to  pray more  earnestly,  and  to  make  us  more  holy through  constant  prayer."

n regard to  vocal  prayer,  as  distinct  from mental prayer. Father Girardey  writes: Although in  itself  vocal  prayer  is  not  so excellent  as  mental  prayer,  we  should,  never-