Sermon LXV.
[CXV. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Luke xviii. 1,“They ought always to pray, and not to faint,”
etc. And on the two who went up into the temple to pray: and of the little children who were
presented unto Christ.
1. The lesson of the Holy Gospel builds us up unto the duty of praying and believing,
and of not putting our trust in ourselves, but in the Lord. What greater encouragement to
prayer than the parable which is proposed to us of the unjust judge? For an unjust judge,
who feared not God, nor regarded man, yet gave ear to a widow who besought him, overcome
by her importunity, not inclined thereto by kindness.3531 If he then heard her prayer, who
hated to be asked, how must He hear who exhorts us to ask? When therefore by this com-
parison from a contrary case the Lord had taught that “men ought always to pray and not
to faint,”3532 He added and said, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man shall come, thinkest
thou that He shall find faith on the earth?”3533 If faith fail, prayer perishes. For who prays
for that which he does not believe? Whence also the blessed Apostle, when he exhorted to
prayer, said, “Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved.”3534 And in
order to show that faith is the fountain of prayer, he went on and said, “How then shall they
call on Him in whom they have not believed?”3535 So then that we may pray, let us believe;
and that this same faith whereby we pray fail not, let us pray. Faith pours out prayer, and
the pouring out of prayer obtains the strengthening of faith. Faith, I say, pours out prayer,
the pouring out of prayer obtains strengthening even for faith itself. For that faith might
not fail in temptations, therefore did the Lord say,” Watch and pray, lest ye enter into
temptation.”3536 “Watch,” He saith, “and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” What is to
“enter into temptation,” but to depart from faith? For so far temptation advances as faith
gives way: and so far temptation gives way, as faith advances. For that you may know, Beloved,
more plainly, that the Lord said, “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation,” as touching
faith lest it should fail and perish; He said in the same place of the Gospel, “This night hath
Satan desired to sift 3537 you as wheat, and I have prayed for thee, Peter, that thy faith fail
not.”3538 He that defendeth prayeth, and shall not he pray who is in peril? For in the words
3531 Pietate.
3532 Luke xviii. 1.
3533 Luke xviii. 8, Vulgate.
3534 Rom. x. 13.
3535 Rom. x. 14.
3536 Luke xxii. 46.
3537 Vexare.
3538 Luke xxii. 31, 32.
On the words of the Gospel, Luke xviii. 1,’They ought always to pray, and not to faint,’ etc. And on the two who went up into the temple to pray: and of the little children who were presented unto Christ.
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On the words of the Gospel, Luke xviii. 1,’They ought always to pray, and…