John Chrysostom, On Psalm 145

5. Do you see prayer everywhere with fasting? For then the melody sent up from the lyre is both more pleasing and more pure. The strings are not waterlogged, loosened by the excess of drunkenness, but reason is vigorous, the mind is alert, the soul is sober. Thus it is necessary to approach God and to converse alone with the Alone. For if when we have something necessary to say to friends, we take them aside by themselves and so we converse; much more is it necessary to do this with God, having entered into the inner chamber with great quietness; and we shall certainly obtain all things, if we make our request in a profitable way. For prayer is a great good, when it is made with a thankful and sober mind; and how will it be thankful? If we train ourselves to give thanks to God not only when receiving, but also when failing to receive. For sometimes God gives, and sometimes He does not give; and He does both things for a useful purpose; so that, whether you receive, or do not receive, you have received by not receiving; whether you succeed, or do not succeed, you have succeeded in not succeeding. For there are times when not to receive what we ask is more profitable than to receive it. For if it were not often profitable for us not to receive, He would certainly always have given; but to fail profitably is to succeed. For this reason also He often postpones our request, not wishing to wear us out, but by the delay of the giving wisely contriving our constant attendance. For since, having often received what we ask, after receiving it we abandon our earnestness in prayers, wishing to intensify our watchfulness in supplications, He defers the giving. So also do affectionate fathers; their indolent children, who run off to childish games, they often keep by their side with the promise of a very great gift; for this reason they sometimes postpone it, and sometimes they do not give it.

For there are times when we make a harmful request; but God, who knows better what is profitable for us, does not grant our prayers, arranging what is beneficial for us even when we are ignorant of it. And what wonder is it, if we are not heard, when this happened even in the case of Paul? For he too, having asked many times, failed to receive; and not only was he not grieved, but he also gave thanks to God; For, concerning this, he says, I pleaded with the Lord three times; and "three times" means "many times." But if Paul, having asked many times, did not succeed, much more then is it necessary for us to persevere. But let us see how, since having asked many times he did not receive, he was disposed towards not receiving. For not only was he not grieved, but he also boasts, 55.526 because he did not receive. For having said, that Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times; and He said to me: My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness; he added, that Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses.

6. Did you see the gratitude of the servant? He asked to be delivered from the weakness, and

God did not grant it; and not only was Paul not grieved, but he also boasts in the weakness. So let us also prepare our own souls, whether God gives, or does not give these things that we ask for, let us give thanks to God for both. For He does both things for our profit. If He is Lord of giving, then also of when to give, and of what to give, and of not giving. You do not know what is profitable, as He Himself knows clearly. You often ask for things that are harmful and dangerous; but He, caring more for your salvation, does not heed the request, but before this He looks everywhere for what is profitable for you.

For if fathers according to the flesh do not provide their children with everything they ask, not because they despise them, but because they care for them greatly; much more does God, loving more, and knowing what is profitable more than all, do this. Let us therefore devote ourselves to prayers continually, not only by day, but also by night. For hear what the prophet himself says: At midnight I arose to

εʹ. Ὁρᾷς πανταχοῦ μετὰ τῆς νηστείας τὴν προσευχήν; Τότε γὰρ καὶ τερπνοτέρα καὶ δοκιμωτέρα ἀπὸ τῆς λύρας ἀναπέμπεται μελῳδία. Οὐκ εἰσὶ διάβροχοι αἱ νευραὶ, τῇ πλεονεξίᾳ τῆς μέθης διαλυθεῖσαι, ἀλλ' εὔτονος ὁ λογισμὸς, διεγηγερμένος ὁ νοῦς, νήφουσα ἡ ψυχή. Οὕτω προσιέναι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ διαλέγεσθαι χρὴ μόνον πρὸς μόνον. Εἰ γὰρ πρὸς φίλους ἔχοντές τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων εἰπεῖν, καταμόνας αὐτοὺς λαμβά νοντες, οὕτω διαλεγόμεθα· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖν χρὴ, εἰσελθόντας εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον μεθ' ἡσυχίας πολλῆς· καὶ πάντως ἐπιτευξόμεθα πάντων, ἂν συμφερόντως τὴν αἴτησιν ποιησώμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ μέγα ἀγαθὸν εὐχὴ, ὅταν μετὰ διανοίας εὐ χαρίστου γίνηται καὶ νηφούσης· πῶς δὲ καὶ εὐχάρι στος ἔσται; Ἂν παιδεύσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, μὴ μόνον λαμβάνοντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποτυγχάνοντας εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ γάρ ποτε μὲν δίδωσιν ὁ Θεὸς, ποτὲ δὲ οὐ δίδωσιν· ἀμφότερα δὲ χρησίμως ποιεῖ· ὥστε, κἂν λάβῃς, κἂν μὴ λάβῃς, ἔλαβες τῷ μὴ λαβεῖν· κἂν ἐπιτύχῃς, κἂν μὴ ἐπιτύχῃς, ἐπέτυχες ἐν τῷ μὴ ἐπι τυχεῖν. Ἔστι γὰρ ὅτε τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν ὅπερ αἰτοῦμεν, τοῦ λαβεῖν λυσιτελέστερον γίνεται. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ συμφέρον ἡμῖν πολλάκις ἦν τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν, πάντως ἂν ἔδωκεν ἀεί· τὸ δὲ συμφερόντως ἀποτυχεῖν, ἐπι τυχεῖν ἐστι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀναβάλλεται τὴν αἴτησιν ἡμῶν πολλάκις, οὐ βουλόμενος ἡμᾶς παρελκύσαι, ἀλλὰ τῇ μελλήσει τῆς δόσεως τὴν διηνεκῆ προσ εδρείαν σοφιζόμενος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ λαβόντες πολ λάκις ὅπερ αἰτοῦμεν, μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν περὶ τὰς εὐχὰς καταλύομεν σπουδὴν, βουλόμενος ἐπιτεῖναι τὴν ἐν ταῖς ἱκετηρίαις ἡμῶν ἀγρυπνίαν, παρέλκει τὴν δόσιν. Οὕτω καὶ φιλόστοργοι πατέρες ποιοῦσι· τὰ ῥᾴθυμα τῶν παίδων, καὶ πρὸς τὰ παιδικὰ παίγνια κατατρέχοντα, πολλάκις ὑποσχέσει δώρου μεγίστου κατέχουσι παρ' ἑαυτοῖς· διὰ τοῦτο ποτὲ μὲν ἀνα βάλλονται, ποτὲ δὲ οὐ διδόασιν.

Ἔστι γὰρ ὅτε βλα βερὰν αἰτοῦμεν αἴτησιν· ὁ δὲ τὰ συμφέροντα ἡμῖν μᾶλλον εἰδὼς, ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐπινεύει ταῖς ἡμετέραις εὐχαῖς, τὸ λυσιτελὲς ἡμῖν καὶ ἀγνοούντων ἡμῶν οἰκονομῶν. Καὶ τί θαυμαστὸν, εἰ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἀκουό μεθα, ὅπου γε καὶ ἐπὶ Παύλου τοῦτο γέγονε; Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος πολλάκις αἰτήσας ἀπέτυχε· καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἤλγησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ηὐχαρίστησε τῷ Θεῷ· Ὑπὲρ τούτου γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν Κύριον τρὶς παρεκάλεσα· τὸ δὲ, Τρὶς, τὸ πολλάκις σημαίνει. Εἰ δὲ Παῦλος πολλάκις αἰτήσας οὐκ ἐπέτυχε, πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς ἐπιμένειν χρή. Ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν πῶς, ἐπειδὴ πολ λάκις αἰτήσας οὐκ ἔλαβε, διετέθη πρὸς τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον οὐκ ἤλγησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχᾶται, 55.526 ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἔλαβεν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν Κύριον παρεκάλεσα· καὶ εἶπε μοι· Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελει οῦται· ἐπήγαγεν, ὅτι Ἥδιστα οὖν καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου.

ςʹ. Εἶδες εὐγνωμοσύνην οἰκέτου; Ἤτησε τῆς ἀσθε νείας ἀπαλλαγῆναι, καὶ

οὐκ ἐπένευσεν ὁ Θεός· καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἤλγησεν ὁ Παῦλος, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχᾶται ἐπὶ τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς παρασκευάσωμεν τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχὰς, κἂν δῷ ὁ Θεὸς, κἂν μὴ δῷ ταῦτα ἅπερ αἰτοῦμεν, ἡμεῖς ὑπὲρ ἀμφοτέρων εὐχαριστήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ. Ἀμφότερα γὰρ ἡμῖν συμφερόντως ποιεῖ. Εἰ τοῦ δοῦναι κύριός ἐστι, οὐκοῦν καὶ τοῦ πότε δοῦναι, καὶ τοῦ τί δοῦναι, καὶ τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι. Οὐκ οἶδας σὺ τὰ συμφέροντα, ὡς αὐτὸς οἶδε σαφῶς. Πολλάκις αἰτεῖς ἐπιβλαβῆ καὶ σφαλερά· ὁ δὲ μᾶλλον κηδόμενός σου τῆς σωτηρίας, οὐ τῇ αἰτήσει προσέχει, ἀλλὰ πρὸ ταύτης τὸ συμφέρον σοι πανταχοῦ σκοπεῖ.

Εἰ γὰρ οἱ κατὰ σάρκα πατέρες οὐ πάντα αἰτοῦσι τοῖς παιδίοις παρέχουσιν, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ καταφρονοῦσιν αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ μάλιστα κήδονται αὐτῶν· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ μᾶλλον φιλῶν, καὶ πλέον ἁπάντων καὶ τὸ συμφέρον εἰδὼς, τοῦτο ποιεῖ. Σχολάσωμεν οὖν ταῖς εὐχαῖς διηνεκῶς, μὴ μόνον δι' ἡμέρας, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ νυκτός. Ἄκουσον γὰρ τί φησιν αὐτὸς ὁ προφήτης· Μεσονύκτιον ἐξηγειρόμην τοῦ