32. Moreover, those who pray should not come to God with fruitless or naked prayers. Petition is ineffectual when it is a barren entreaty that beseeches God.88 [Should not this principle be more effectually taught?] For as every tree that bringeth not forth fruit is cut down and cast into the fire; assuredly also, words that do not bear fruit cannot deserve anything of God, because they are fruitful in no result. And thus Holy Scripture instructs us, saying, “Prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving.”89 Tob. xx. 8. For He who will give us in the day of judgment a reward for our labours and alms, is even in this life a merciful hearer of one who comes to Him in prayer associated with good works. Thus, for instance, Cornelius the centurion, when he prayed, had a claim to be heard. For he was in the habit of doing many alms-deeds towards the people, and of ever praying to God. To this man, when he prayed about the ninth hour, appeared an angel bearing testimony to his labours, and saying, “Cornelius, thy prayers and thine alms are gone up in remembrance before God.”90 Acts x. 2, 4.
XXXII. Orantes autem non infructuosis nec nudis precibus ad Deum veniant. Inefficax petitio est cum precatur Deum sterilis oratio. Nam, cum omnis arbor non faciens fructum excidatur et in ignem mittatur (Matth. VII, 19), utique et sermo non habens fructum promereri Deum non potest, quia nulla est operatione foecundus. Et ideo Scripturae divina instruit dicens: Bona est oratio cum jejunio et eleemosyna (Tob. XII, 9). 0540B Nam qui in die judicii praemium pro operibus et eleemosynis redditurus est, hodie quoque ad orationem cum operatione venienti benignus auditor est. Sic denique Cornelius centurio cum oraret, meruit audiri. Fuit enim faciens multas eleemosynas in plebem et semper orans Deum. Huic circa horam nonam oranti adstitit Angelus testimonium reddens sui operis et dicens: Corneli, orationes tuae et eleemosynae tuae ascenderunt ad memoriam coram Deo (Act. X, 4).