Lecture 2 Lectio 2 Prayer Oratio ^6:5 And when you pray, you will not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: amen I say to you, they have received their reward. [n. 568] ^6:5 Et cum oratis, non eritis sicut hypocritae, qui amant in synagogis et in angulis platearum stantes orare, ut videantur ab hominibus. Amen dico vobis, receperunt mercedem suam. [n. 568] ^6:6 But you when you will pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. [n. 575] ^6:6 Tu autem, cum oraveris, intra in cubiculum tuum, et clauso ostio, ora Patrem tuum in abscondito; et Pater tuus, qui videt in abscondito, reddet tibi. [n. 575] ^6:7 And when you are praying, do not speak much, as the heathens. For they think that in their speaking much they may be heard. [n. 578] ^6:7 Orantes autem nolite multum loqui, sicut ethnici; putant enim quod in multiloquio suo exaudiantur. [n. 578] ^6:8 Be not therefore like to them, for your Father knows what is needful for you, before you ask him. [n. 581] ^6:8 Nolite ergo assimilari eis. Scit enim Pater vester quid opus sit vobis, antequam petatis eum. [n. 581] 568. And when you pray. Above the Lord shows what is not to be done regarding almsgiving for the sake of human glory; here he shows the same thing regarding prayer. 568. Et cum oratis. Supra dominus ostendit de opere eleemosynae quod non est faciendum propter humanam gloriam; hic ostendit idem de oratione. And concerning this he does two things: Et circa hoc duo facit: first, he teaches the way of praying; primo docet modum orandi; second, he teaches what should be in a prayer of petition: therefore you will pray thus (Matt 6:9). secundo docet quid sit in oratione petendum: sic ergo orabitis. 569. Concerning the first he does two things: 569. Circa primum duo facit: first, he teaches them to avoid the vanity of hypocrites in prayer; primo docet vitare in oratione vanitates hypocritarum; second, to avoid the vanity of gentiles, at when you are praying. secundo vanitatem gentilium, ibi orantes. 570. Concerning the first he does two things: 570. Circa primum duo facit: first, he excludes an unfitting manner of praying; primo excludit modum inconvenientem orandi; second, he designates what is fitting, at but you. secundo assignat convenientem, ibi tu autem. 571. He excludes the manner of praying by the example of the hypocrites: hence he first excludes this example, second explains, third, assigns the reason. The second is at who love to stand and pray; the third, at amen I say to you. 571. Excludit modum orandi exemplo hypocritarum: unde primo excludit exemplum istud; secundo exponit; tertio rationem assignat. Secundum, ibi qui amant; tertium: amen dico. Fittingly enough after almsgiving, here he deals with prayer, for as Sirach says: before prayer, prepare your soul (Sir 18:23). For by good works, among which almsgiving is first, the soul is prepared for prayer: let us lift up our hearts with our hands (Lam 3:41), which happens when good works accord. Satis convenienter post eleemosynam agit hic de oratione, quia sicut Eccli. XVIII, 23: ante orationem etc. Per bona enim opera, inter quae prima est eleemosyna, anima praeparatur ad orationem, Tren. III, 41: levemus corda nostra etc., quod fit quando bona opera consonant. 572. And it should be noted that the Lord does not compel us to pray, but teaches us the manner of praying. And this is when you pray, you will not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and street corners. By hypocrites is understood pretenders who do everything for human praise. And although this vice is to be avoided in every work, nevertheless it is especially to be avoided in prayer, according to Chrysostom, because prayer is a certain sacrifice that we offer God from our innermost hearts: let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice (Ps 141:2). A sacrifice is not allowed to be offered except to God; but it is offered to men if it is done for human glory. And such prayers are idolatry. 572. Et notandum quod Dominus non inducit ad orandum, sed docet modum orandi. Et hoc est cum oraveris non eritis sicut hypocritae qui amant in synagogis et in angulis. Per hypocritae intelliguntur simulatores qui faciunt totum propter laudem humanam. Et quamvis hoc vitium sit in omni opere vitandum, tamen in oratione specialiter, secundum Chrysostomum, quia oratio est quoddam sacrificium quod offerimus Deo ex intimis cordis, Ps. dirigatur oratio etc. Sacrificium non licet offerri nisi Deo; offertur autem hominibus si fiat propter humanam gloriam. Unde tales sunt idolatrae. But the hypocrites are described as to their affection, place, pride, and intention. As to the first, he says who love. For sometimes a certain titillation of vainglory happens in holy men, but they are not counted among the hypocrites unless they act for that purpose: in the desire of his heart (Jer 2:24). Describitur autem hypocrita quantum ad affectum, locum, supra et infra totum. Quantum ad primum dicit qui amant. Contingit enim aliquando fieri aliqua titillatio in viris sanctis inanis gloriae, sed non sunt propter hoc in numero hypocritarum nisi ex proposito hoc agant, Ier. II, 24: in desiderio animae suae. 573. And note there are two kinds of hypocrites who openly seek human glory, that is, who pray in public places. Hence he says, in synagogues, where the congregation of the people prays: congregation (Ps 82:1). There are others who pray in private places and seek glory by this very avoidance of glory: for they wish to seem to seek privacy, although nevertheless they love what is public. And this is in the synagogues and street corners. For if they were truly seeking secrecy, they would not seek the corners of boulevards, but an enclosed place; or rather they would say that they seek a public area. But there are two kinds of public places: certain ones are set aside for prayer, like synagogues; others are not, namely, street corners. And it is properly a corner where two lines intersect. Hence street corners, where two streets intersect, so that there is a crossroads; and this is extremely public, and not designated for prayer: the stones of the sanctuary are scattered (Lam 4:1). 573. Et nota duo genera hypocritarum qui manifeste gloriam humanam quaerunt, scilicet qui in locis publicis orant. Unde dicit in synagogis, ubi erat congregatio populorum, Ps. synagoga; aliqui orant in locis privatis et ex ipsa vitatione gloriae gloriam quaerunt: volunt enim videri quaerere occultum cum tamen ament publicum. Et hoc est in synagogis et angulis. Si enim occultum in rei veritate quaererent, non angulum platearum, sed camerae locum quaererent; vel possumus dicerent quod quaerunt apertum publicum. Sed duplex est publicum: quoddam deputatum orationi, scilicet synagoga; aliud non deputatum orationi scilicet angulus. Et est proprie angulus ubi duae lineae sese intersecant. Unde angulis platearum, enim duae plateae se intersecant, ita quod fit ibi quadrivium; et hoc est valde publicum nec orationi deputatum, Tren. IV, 1: dispersi sunt lapides. It should also be noted that one of the things at work in prayer is humility: the prayer of the humble and meek has always pleased you (Jdt 9:16). He has had regard to the prayer (Ps 102:17). But these people stand as though proud. Notandum etiam quod unum de rebus facientibus ad orationem est humilitas. Iudith IX, 16: humilium et mansuetorum. Ps. CI, 18: respexisti in orationem. Sed isti stant quasi superbi. 574. But it seems that in no place would it be forbidden to pray: I wish that men pray in every place (1 Tim 2:8); in the churches bless (Ps 68:26). But it should be said that it is not a sin except under the intention that they may be seen by men. And, as Chrysostom says, although willing to be seen by men is harmful in other works, nevertheless it is especially so in prayer: for it damages both the end and the constancy, for even if it is done with a good intention, a man can scarcely hold his mind so that it does not wander off into diverse things; much less, then, when this is done for the sake of human glory. And this is that they may be seen. 574. Sed videtur quod in nullo loco sit prohibitum orare ante I Tim. II, 8: volo omnes viros etc., Ps. in ecclesiis benedicite. Sed dicendum quod non est peccatum nisi sub hac intentione ut videantur ab hominibus. Et, sicut dicit Chrysostomus, etsi velle videri ab hominibus noceat in aliis operibus, tamen specialiter in oratione: quia nocet et quantum ad finem et quantum ad substantiam, quia etsi fiat in bona intentione, vix potest homo tenere animum quin evagetur per diversa; multo magis ergo quando fit propter gloriam hominum. Et hoc est ut videantur. But then should one not pray in a public place? It should be known that the Lord intends to prohibit the manner of praying so that vainglory is removed, which is never sought except by someone on his own, for when there are many who keep one manner of praying, glory is not sought before one another. Hence the Lord removes the individual manner of praying, that namely, no one should pray in a place not designated for prayer, except someone with such authority that he may even lead others in prayer. Hence according to Chrysostom, the fact that he says street corners is to be referred to everything by which you seem to be set apart from the others with whom you associate. Numquid ergo non est orandum in loco publico? Sciendum quod Dominus intendit prohibere modum orandi per quem tollitur inanis gloria, quae numquam quaeritur nisi de aliquo singulari, quia quando sunt multi qui servant unum, ibi non quaeritur gloria ab alio. Unde Dominus tollit singularem modum orandi ut scilicet nullus oret in loco non deputando orationi, nisi aliquis sit tantae auctoritatis quod etiam aliis ad orandum inducat. Unde secundum Chrysostomum, hoc quod dicit in angulis referendum est ad omne illud per quod videris discretus esse ab aliis cum quibus conversaris. 575. Amen I say to you. Here he assigns the reason. And he says two things: reward and their. The reward of each person is that by which he is fed from his work. Hence when we do anything for the glory of men, the glory of men is our reward, although nevertheless we should wait for the true glory of God. And this is they have received their reward because they have usurped it: what things a man will sow, those also will he reap (Gal 6:8). 575. Amen dico. Hic assignat rationem. Et dicit duo: merces et suam. Merces uniuscumque est per quam pascitur de opere suo. Unde quando nos facimus aliquid propter gloriam hominum, gloria hominum est merces nostra, cum tamen debemus expectare gloriam Dei veram. Et hoc est receperunt mercedem suam, ratione quia usurpaverunt, Gal. ult. quae seminaverit homo. But you. Here he sets down the due manner. And first he sets it down; second, he assigns the reason: and your Father. Therefore he says when you will pray, i.e., when you are disposed to pray, enter into your chamber. This is explained three ways. First, it is understood literally about a separated room. But do not those who go to the church do the opposite? But it should be said that he speaks of private prayer which is only to be done in a private place. And this for three reasons. First, because it agrees with the faith, for then you confess that God is present everywhere: Lord, all my desire is before you (Ps 38:9); do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jer 23:24). Second, because prayer which in private is quiet, is hindered when with many others: I will lead her into solitude: and I will speak to her heart (Hos 2:14). Third, because vainglory is avoided: and David went in, so that he could pray before the Lord (2 Sam 7:18); alone, that is, and having shut the door, literally, so that you exclude also the possibility of anyone coming in. Tu autem. Hic ponit debitum modum. Et primo ponit eum; secundo assignat rationem: et Pater. Dicit ergo tu cum oraveris, idest orare disponeris, intra in cubiculum. Hoc tripliciter exponitur. Intelligitur primo ad litteram de secreto camerae. Sed numquid contrarium faciunt qui ad ecclesiam vadunt? Sed dicendum quod loquitur de oratione privata quae non est facienda nisi in loco privato. Et hoc propter tria. Primo quia concordat fidei, quia tunc confiteris Deum ubicumque esse praesentem, Ps. Domine ante te omne, Ier. XXIII, 24: caelum et terram. Secundo quia quando cum multis impeditur oratio quae in secreto quieta est, Osee II, 14: ducam eam in solitudinem. Tertio quia vitatur inanis gloria, II Reg. XIV: ingressus est David, tamen dicendum ut oraret coram Domino, solus scilicet et clauso, ad litteram, ut etiam excludas possibilitatem adeundi. 576. Second, by the chamber can be understood the secret interior of the heart: the things you say in your hearts (Ps 4:4). Door, mouth: make doors and bars to your mouth (Sir 28:28), as though he said: pray silently. And this for three reasons. First, because it attests to the faith, for then you confess that God knows the thoughts of your heart: man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart (1 Sam 16:7). Second, because it is not appropriate that others know your petitions: my secret to myself (Isa 24:16). Third, because if you speak aloud, you may impede others’ prayer: neither hammer nor axe . . . was heard (1 Kgs 6:7). 576. Secundo per cubiculum potest intelligi interius secretum cordis, Ps. quae dicitis in cordibus. Ostia, os, Eccli. XXVIII, 28: ori tuo facito ostia quasi dicat: ora silenter. Et hoc propter tria. Primo quia attestatur fidei, quia tunc confiteris quod Deus cogitationes cordium sciat, I Reg. XVI, 1: homo videt ea quae parent. Secundo quia non decet quod alii sciant petitiones tuas, Is. XXIV, 16: secretum meum mihi. Tertio, quia si voce loqueris alios impedires, III Reg. VI, 7: malleus et securis non sunt audita etc. But what will we say about public prayer? It should be said that the Lord speaks about private prayer in which the benefit of one person is sought, but in public prayer the good of the multitude is also sought. And because some people are excited to devotion by sounds of this kind, chant was instituted. Hence Augustine says in the book of Confessions, that blessed Athanasius, lest he become too delighted by the chants, wanted everything to be read quietly. But because before he converted blessed Augustine found chants very beneficial, he did not dare to speak against them, but approved them. Sed quid dicemus de oratione publica? Dicendum quod Dominus loquitur de privata in qua quaeritur utilitas unius, sed etiam in publica quaeritur utilitas multitudinis. Et quia per huiusmodi clamores ad devotionem excitantur aliqui, ideo instituti sunt cantus. Unde Augustinus dicit in libro de Confessionibus quod beatus Athenasius, ne nimis delectaretur in cantu, volebat quod omnia legerentur submisse. Sed quia beatus Augustinus antequam converteretur multum profuerunt sibi huiusmodi cantus non ausus est contradicere, sed approbat. 577. But a question arises: should someone praying in private say words or not? But here it should be distinguished that sometimes words arise from intention, sometimes from the impulse of the heart, for, as is said: who can withhold the words he has conceived? (Job 4:2). Hence by the impulse of the Spirit some people are brought to the point of speaking words, and this is the whole effect. 577. Sed quaestio: utrum aliquis in loco privato orans debeat dicere verba vel non? Sed distinguendum est hic quia aliquando verba proveniunt ex intentione, aliquando ex impulsione cordis quia, sicut dicitur Iob IV, 2: conceptum sermonem. Unde ex ipso impetu spiritus aliqui proferuntur ad aliqua verba dicenda, et hoc est omnis effectus. But words can be considered two ways: either as owed, and then they should be said, like the Hours: I cried to the Lord with my voice (Ps 142:1); or as useful for praying, and then a distinction should be made about the beginning and the end, for better is the end of a prayer than the beginning (Eccl 7:9). For if in the beginning of a prayer the affections are excited to devout prayer by words, then it is useful to bring in words; but when the affections are not excited by this, then no words should be uttered and the affections should be shut up, for just as heat is diminished by evaporation, so affections are emptied out by words, as is also clear in expressing sorrow to others: my heart grew hot within me (Ps 39:3); then I said: I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name (Jer 20:9). This is how Chrysostom explains, but having shut the door. Verba autem dupliciter possunt considerari: vel ut debita, et tunc reddenda, sic sunt Horae, Ps. voce mea ad Dominum; vel ut utilia ad orandum, et tunc distinguendum de principio et fine quia melior est finis orationis etc. Eccl. VII, 9 ecclesiae. Si enim in principio orationis affectus excitatur per verba ad devote orandum, tunc utile est proferre verba; quando autem non excitatur affectus, tunc non sunt proferenda verba et operiendus affectus, quia sicut calidum evaporando diminuitur ita affectus evacuatur per verba, sicut etiam patet de dolore expresso aliis, Ps. concalvit cor meum intra me, Ier. XX, 9: dixi: non loquar in nomine Domini, et factus est ignis etc. Hoc sic exponit Chrysostomus: sed clauso ostio. 578. In the third way, as Augustine explains, by chamber the heart is meant, by the door the external senses as well as the imagination; for such a person should enter his heart and close his senses and imagination so that nothing comes in except what pertains to his prayer. And Cyprian assigns two reasons: first, because it is blameable if you do not attend to what you say when you speak with any king; second, because how will God understand you if you do not understand yourself? This is the door that is spoken of: I stand at the door and knock (Rev 3:20). 578. Tertio modo, sic exponit Augustinus quod per cubiculum intelligitur cor, per ostium exteriores sensus et etiam ‘imaginatio’; quia talis debet intrare cor suum et claudere sensus et imaginationem ut nihil interius intret nisi quod pertinet ad orationem. Et Cyprianus assignat duas rationes: primo quia vituperabile est quod non attendis quae dicis cum loqueris cum rege aliquo; secundo quia Deus quomodo intelliget te si tu te ipsum non intelligis? Hoc est ostium de quo Apoc. III, 20: ego sto ad hostium et pulso. And your Father. Here he assigns the reason. For no one prays except to someone who sees him. But to God all things are naked and open (Heb 4:13). In secret, whether of the heart or of place, he will repay you. Et Pater tuus. Hic assignat rationem. Nullus enim orat nisi illum quem videt. Deus autem omnia nuda et aperta etc. Hebr. IV, 13. In abscondito, vel cordis vel loci, reddet tibi. And when you are praying. Here he teaches us to avoid the second vice, namely, the verbosity of the gentiles. And concerning this he does three things: first, he teaches us to avoid the example of the gentiles, second, he sets down the intention, third, he assigns the reason. The second is at for they think; the third, at be not therefore like to them. Therefore he says when you are praying. And note that he does not say: do not pray a lot, for that is against what is said in Romans: constant in prayer (Rom 12:12); and in Luke: in his agony, he prayed the longer (Luke 22:43). Orantes etc. Hic docet vitare secundum vitium, scilicet multiloquium gentilium. Et circa hoc tria facit: primo docet vitare exemplum gentilium, secundo ponit intentionem, tertio assignat rationem. Secundum, ibi putant enim; tertium, ibi nolite ergo. Dicit ergo orantes. Et nota quod non dicit: nolite multum orare, quia hoc est contra illud Ro. XII, 12: orationi instantes, et Luc. XXII, 43: factus in agonia. 579. He passed the whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12). But he says do not speak much. Augustine, in his book On Prayer: let there not be much speech but much supplication if a fervent intention is not lacking. But much and little, great and small, are relative. For much can be said two ways in relation to prayer, which is a raising up to God. They speak much when the words go outside the prayer, and this can be in two ways: namely, if the words are about something illicit, and these are harmful; and when there is no devotion, then man becomes rather bored and praying becomes hateful. And thus Augustine says that monks in Egypt had frequent but brief prayers. For they saw that devotion was necessary in the one praying, but it was emptied out by a multitude of words. And thus in the Church it was established that different things are said at different hours: speak not anything rashly (Eccl 5:1). Augustine: this matter, that is, prayer, is more in groaning than in words. 579. Orabat, Luc. VI, 12: et erat pernoctans in oratione sed dicit nolite multum, Augustinus, in libro de Orando: non sit multa locutio sed sit multa praecatio si non desit fervens intentio. Sed multum et paucum, magnum et parvum, relativa sunt. Multum enim potest dici dupliciter in comparatione ad orationem, quae est ascensus ad Deum. Vel multum loquuntur quando verba excedunt orationem, et hoc potest esse dupliciter: si scilicet verba sunt de illicitis, et haec sunt nociva; et quando non adest devotio, tunc magis homo redditur taediosus et orare redditur odiosum. Et ideo dicit Augustinus quod monachi in Aegypto habebant crebras orationes sed breves. Videbant enim quod devotio erat oranti necessaria, quae evacuabatur per multitudinem verborum. Et ideo in Ecclesia statutum est quod diversis horis diversa dicantur, Eccli. V, 1: ne temere quid loquaris. Augustinus: hoc negotium, scilicet orationis, plus gemitibus quam verbis etc. 580. As the heathens. The gentiles worship demons for their gods: all the gods of the gentiles are devils (Ps 96:5). It should be considered in demons that they do not know the future or hidden things of the heart unless they are revealed to them. Hence it was necessary for the gentiles to say everything with words: Cry louder! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened (1 Kgs 18:27). 580. Sicut ethnici. Gentiles colebant daemonia pro diis, Ps. omnes dii gentium. In daemonibus scilicet considerandum quod nesciunt futura vel occulta cordium nisi inquantum eis revelantur. Unde necessarium erat gentilibus quod totum diceretur per verba, III Reg. XVIII, 27: clamate altius etc. Likewise, demons have changeable affections: hence by words they can be changed. Hence Augustine says that Plato said that they were flattered by words; but God both knows all things and is not persuaded by words: I, the Lord, do not change (Mal 3:6); God is not a man . . . that he should be changed (Num 23:19); I will not spare them their words framed in prayer (Job 41:3). Item daemones habent affectum mutabilem: unde per verba mutari possunt. Unde dicit Augustinus quod Plato dixit quod verbis mutabantur, Deus autem et omnia scit nec verbis flectitur, Mal. III, 6: ego Deus et non mutor, Num. XXIII, 19: non est Deus ut homo, Iob XLI, 3: non parcet ei et verbis potentibis et ad deprecandum compositis.