Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/92

 results. We can,  of  ourselves,  do  nothing  for our salvation,  for  Christ  says:  Without  Me you  can  do  nothing"  (John  xv.  5).  Since God  wills  that  we  should  attain  a  destiny  beyond the  reach  of  our  natural  powers.  He must  necessarily  be  willing  to  grant  us  His help  to  attain  it,  whenever  we  earnestly  pray for  it.  In  fact,  says  St.  Augustine,  "God  is more  willing  to  grant  us  favors  than  we  are to receive  them."  "God  is  always  ready," says  St.  John  Chrysostom,  "to  hear  the  voice of His  servants  praying  to  Him;  He  has  never yet neglected  to  hear  it  when  called  upon  as He  should  be."  The  prophet  Isaias  (xxx.  19) had  already  said  the  same  thing:  "God  will surely have  pity  on  thee;  at  the  voice  of  thy cry, as  soon  as  He  shall  hear,  He  will  answer thee." "The  Lord,"  says  the  Royal  Prophet, "is  nigh  to  all  them  that  call  upon  Him  in truth;  He  will  do  the  will  of  them  that  fear Him; He  will  hear  their  prayer,  and  save them" (Ps.  cxliv.  18,  19).

We have  the  formal  and  solemn  promise  of Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  God  will  hear  our prayers and  grant  us  all  we  ask,  for  He  says expressly: Amen,  amen,  I  say  to  you,  if  you ask the  Father  anything  in  My  name,  He  will give it  you. . .  .  Ask,  and  you  shall  receive" (John  xvi.  23,  24).    "You  shall  ask  whatever