De oratione

 Therefore, the one of these, I mean the 'what we should pray for,' is the words of the prayer, but the 'as we ought' is the state of the one praying

 we are more than conquerors.” It is likely that “intercedes” only concerns those who are not so great as to be more than conquerors, nor again such as

 God be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and give me bread to eat and a garment to put on, and bring me back with safety to my father's hous

 of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying: This is the word, which the Lord commanded: A man, who shall vow a vow to the Lord or swear an oath with

 of those who say there is providence for it is not our present purpose to examine the sayings of those who entirely deny God or providence) God kn

 since God exists and has comprehended the whole universe and abides in His pre-arranged decrees, to pray, supposing that by his prayer he will alter G

 and from what is in our power, which will be enacted according to our impulse. For even if, hypothetically, God did not know the future, we would not

 “let him not boast” “before” me but let him say: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” and perceiving my

 of prayer benefits those who have persuaded themselves that they have stood before and are speaking to a present and hearing God? 9.1 What has been sa

 to God, who ordains what he wills for our training, but not even murmuring in the secret of our thoughts without a voice audible to men which murmuri

 his preeminence, and stretching forth the right hand and giving to Judas a golden sword, to whom another saint who had fallen asleep testified, sa

 an angel, «of the» in the church «little ones,» «always» seeing «the face of the Father» «who is in heaven» and beholding the divinity of the one who

 the prayer of Holofernes with God prevails and one woman of the Hebrews brought shame to the house of Nebuchadnezzar But 'Ananias' 'and Azarias and M

 suffering from a basilisk, because through Christ he has stepped upon them and has trampled “lion and dragon,” having used the good authority given by

 doxology for greater things, offered up more magnificently by someone, and intercession, a request to God concerning certain things by one having a ce

 And an example of thanksgiving is the voice of our Lord, saying: “I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these thing

 kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their princesses your nurses they shall bow down to <you> with their face to the ground, and shall lick the

 with him the intelligible blessing reaching all the saints, spoken by Isaac to Jacob, namely: «May God give you of the dew of heaven,» to have come to

 of things truly and genuinely great and heavenly, and matters concerning the shadows that follow the preceding things must be entrusted to God, who kn

 For it is the work of hypocrites to want to put on airs before men for the sake of piety or for social reasons. But it is necessary, remembering the s

 20.2 And we must listen carefully to that they may be seen, since nothing that is merely apparent is good, as if existing in appearance and not in t

 It is not that God has not been called 20father20, or that those who are considered to have believed in God have not been named sons of God but rathe

 he has imitated the image «of the invisible God» and has become «according to the image of the one who created him,» who makes «his sun» rise «on the

 20Father20» let him go. And let us seek to understand more mystically the saying at the end of the Gospel according to John: «Do not touch me, for I h

 in order to persuade the reader from every side, according to the power given to us, to hear the divine scripture in a higher and more spiritual way,

 to exalt «0the name20» of God «at the same time,» is <when> someone, having partaken of an emanation of divinity by being taken up by God and having p

 We are commanded by Paul no longer to be subject to sin which wants to rule over us, and indeed we are ordered through these words: Let not sin there

 for us «0on earth20» likewise to them in all things “the 20will20” of God should be done which will happen, when we do nothing contrary to His «0will

 to divinity and being united with it. 26.5 But since the second point does not yet solve the difficulties about how «0the will20» of God is «0in heave

 we will set these things forth from more numerous sources. He says in the Gospel according to John to those who had come to Capernaum to seek him: “Tr

 nor are you able even now for you are still of the flesh” and in the one to the Hebrews: “and you have come to need milk, not solid food. For everyon

 being set apart, but is subject to every quality just like a prepared place. And by qualities they mean dispositively the activities and productions i

 by a demonstration of the angels and their becoming more ready to cooperate in every way and henceforth to concur in the apprehension of more and grea

 in the psalms thus: a thousand years in your eyes are as yesterday, which has passed (which is the famous millennium, which is likened to the yeste

 «0today20» but also in a way of the «0daily20» he who prays for «0today20», from the one who is able to grant «exceedingly abundantly above all that w

 and we are in a theater of the world and of angels and of men, it must be known that, just as the one in the theater is a 20debtor20 to say or do cert

 heavenly Father will do, unless you 20forgive20 each his brother from your hearts.” They say, however, that we 20must forgive20 those who have sinned

 they conceived a thought against God” for he offers the sacrifice concerning things of which it is doubted whether a sin has been committed, and this

 which our Lord taught concerning prayer. But when has anyone considered men to be outside of 20temptations20, whose word he knew he had fulfilled? And

 every time is one of 20temptation20 for men, even these things not even he who meditates on the law of God «day and night» and practices to fulfill w

 Finding such things in the law and the prophets, they stumbled as at one who was not good, who uttered such words but for us, on account of the diffi

 having desired generation, pray again to obtain twice what you desire, having come to hate the thing desired, and then thus to return to the good thin

 of our own evils and let us give thanks for the good things revealed to us through 20temptations20. But that the 20temptations20 which happen are for

 to put on (for he has received), but by in all that befell him not to have sinned at all before the Lord but to be shown to be righteous of the o

 to pray, stretching out the soul, as it were, before the hands, and stretching the mind toward God before the eyes, and before standing, arousing the

 which is possible, unless one gives himself to this by agreement for a time, that perhaps also concerning the place, if it is permissible, it must b

 It seems to me that these things have necessarily been said, while examining the place of prayer and representing what is exceptional as in a place at

 for the sake of magnifying you, my Lord, Lord.” 33.4 An example of confessions: “Deliver me from all my iniquities,” and in other places: “My wounds h

to God, who ordains what he wills for our training, but not even murmuring in the secret of our thoughts without a voice audible to men; which murmuring, in the manner of wicked servants, who do not openly blame the commands of their masters, is what they do who do not dare with voice and whole soul to speak evil of providence for what happens, but as it were wishing to escape the notice even of the Lord of all in those things with which they are displeased. And I think this is also what is in Job; "In all these things that had happened, Job did not sin at all with his lips before God," which is written concerning the temptation before it; "in all these things that had happened Job did not sin at all in the sight of God"; which the Word in Deuteronomy, commanding that this must not happen, says; "Take heed lest there ever be a secret word in your heart, a lawless thing, saying: The seventh year is at hand," and what follows. 10.2 He therefore who prays thus, having been so greatly benefited beforehand, becomes more fit to be mingled with the spirit of the Lord that has filled the whole world, and with him who has filled all the earth and heaven, who says thus through the prophet; "Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord"; and further, through both the aforementioned purification and prayer, he will partake of the Word of God who has stood in the midst even of those not knowing him, nothing lacking from the prayer, as he prays together to the Father with the one for whom he mediates. For the Son of God is "high priest" of our offerings and "advocate" with the Father, praying for those who pray and interceding with those who intercede, not praying as for his own those who do not pray more continually through him, nor being an "advocate" with God as for his own already for those who do not obey the teachings regarding the need "to pray always and not to lose heart." "For he told," it says, "a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to lose heart; There was a judge in a certain city," and what follows; and in the passage before this; "And he said to them; Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight and say to him; Friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him"; and after a little; "I say to you, though he will not rise and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him as many as he needs." And who of those who believe the unerring mouth of Jesus would not be urged to pray without ceasing, when he says; "Ask, and it will be given to you"; "for everyone who asks receives"? Since the good Father, when we ask him for the living bread (not the stone which the adversary wishes to become food for Jesus and his disciples) gives it to those who have received the "spirit of adoption" from the Father; and "the Father" gives "the good gift," raining "from heaven" "to those who ask him." 11.1 Not only does the high priest pray with those who pray genuinely, but also the angels "in heaven" who rejoice "over one sinner who repents more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who have no need of repentance," and the souls of the saints who have fallen asleep. Which things are shown, by Raphael offering on behalf of Tobit and Sarah a spiritual ministry to God (for after the prayer of both, "was heard," says the scripture, "the prayer of both was before the glory of the great Raphael, and he was sent to heal the two"; and Raphael himself, revealing his work as an angel, the economy toward both according to the command of God, says; "And now when you and your daughter-in-law Sarah prayed, I brought the memorial of your prayer before the Holy One," and after a little; "I am Raphael, one of the seven angels, who bring up <the prayers of the saints> and enter before the glory of the Holy One"; according to the word of Raphael, then, "prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving and righteousness") and by Jeremiah appearing, as in Maccabees, distinguished by "gray hairs and glory," so that there was about him a certain "wondrous and most majestic"

τῷ θεῷ, ἃ βούλεται πρὸς γυμνάσιον ἡμῶν διατασσομένῳ, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ κατὰ τὸ κρυπτὸν τῶν λογισμῶν γογγύζοντος χωρὶς ἀκουστῆς ἀνθρώποις φωνῆς· ὅντινα γογγυσμὸν δίκην πονηρῶν οἰκετῶν, οὐκ ἐν φανερω τέρῳ αἰτιωμένων τὰς προστάξεις τῶν δεσποτῶν, γογγύζουσιν οἱ μὴ τολμῶντες μὲν φωνῇ καὶ ὅλῃ ψυχῇ κακολογεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβαί νουσι τὴν πρόνοιαν οἱονεὶ δὲ βουλόμενοι καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων κύριον ἐφ' οἷς δυσαρεστοῦνται λαθεῖν. καὶ οἶμαι τοῦτ' εἶναι καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἰώβ· «ἐν τούτοις πᾶσι τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν Ἰὼβ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ,» ἐπὶ τοῦ πρὸ αὐτοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἀνα γεγραμμένου· «ἐν τούτοις πᾶσι τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν Ἰὼβ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ»· ὃ δὴ προστάσσων μὴ δεῖν γίνεσθαι ἐν τῷ ∆ευτερονομίῳ ὁ λόγος φησί· «πρόσεχε μή ποτε γένηται ῥῆμα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ἀνόμημα, λέγων· ἐγγίζει τὸ ἔτος τὸ ἕβδομον» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 10.2 ὁ τοίνυν οὕτως εὐχόμενος τοσαῦτα προωφεληθεὶς ἐπιτηδει ότερος γίνεται ἀνακραθῆναι τῷ πεπληρωκότι τὴν πᾶσαν οἰκουμένην τοῦ κυρίου πνεύματι καὶ τῷ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν πε πληρωκότι, διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντι οὕτως· «οὐχὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐγὼ πληρῶ; λέγει κύριος»· ἔτι δὲ διά τε τῆς προει ρημένης καθαρεύσεως καὶ τῆς εὐχῆς τοῦ μέσον καὶ τῶν μὴ γινω σκόντων αὐτὸν ἑστηκότος λόγου θεοῦ, οὐδενὸς ἀπολειπομένου τῆς εὐχῆς, μεθέξει, συνευχομένου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα τῷ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ μεσι τευομένῳ. «ἀρχιερεὺς» γὰρ τῶν προσφορῶν ἡμῶν καὶ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα «παράκλητός» ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, εὐχόμενος ὑπὲρ τῶν εὐχομένων καὶ συμπαρακαλῶν τοῖς παρακαλοῦσιν, οὐκ ἂν ὡς ὑπὲρ οἰκείων εὐξόμενος τῶν μὴ δι' αὐτοῦ συνεχέστερον εὐχομένων οὐδ' ἂν ὡς ὑπὲρ ἤδη ἰδίων «παράκλητος» ἐσόμενος πρὸς τὸν θεὸν τῶν μὴ πειθομένων ταῖς εἰς «τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι καὶ μὴ ἐκκα κεῖν» διδασκαλίαις. «ἔλεγε γὰρ,» φησὶ, «παραβολὴν πρὸς τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι καὶ μὴ ἐκκακεῖν· κριτής τις ἦν ἔν τινι πόλει» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων· «καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· τίς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἕξει φίλον, καὶ πορεύσεται πρὸς αὐτὸν μεσονύκτιον καὶ εἴπῃ αὐτῷ· φίλε, χρῆσόν μοι τρεῖς ἄρτους, ἐπειδὴ φίλος μου παρε γένετο ἐξ ὁδοῦ πρός με, καὶ οὐκ ἔχω ὃ παραθήσω αὐτῷ»· καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· «λέγω ὑμῖν, εἰ καὶ οὐ δώσει αὐτῷ ἀναστὰς διὰ τὸ εἶναι φίλον αὐτοῦ, διά γε τὴν ἀναίδειαν αὐτοῦ ἐγερθεὶς δώσει αὐτῷ ὅσων χρῄζει.» τίς δὲ μὴ προτραπῇ τῶν τῷ ἀψευδεῖ στόματι πιστευόντων Ἰησοῦ ἀόκνως εὔχεσθαι, λέγοντος· «αἰτεῖτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν»· «πᾶς γὰρ ὁ αἰτῶν λαμβάνει»; ἐπεὶ ὁ χρηστὸς πατὴρ τὸν ζῶντα ἄρτον αἰτούντων ἡμῶν αὐτὸν (οὐχ ὃν βούλεται λίθον τροφὴν γε νέσθαι τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ὁ ἀντικείμενος) δίδωσι τοῖς τὸ «πνεῦμα τῆς υἱοθεσίας» εἰληφόσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός· καὶ δίδωσιν «ὁ πατὴρ» «τὸ ἀγαθὸν δόμα» ὕων «ἐξ οὐρανοῦ» «τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν.» 11.1 Οὐ μόνος δὲ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς τοῖς γνησίως εὐχομένοις συνεύ χεται ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ «ἐν οὐρανῷ» χαίροντες ἄγγελοι «ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις, οἳ οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσι μετανοίας,» αἵ τε τῶν προκεκοιμημένων ἁγίων ψυχαί. ἅτινα δηλοῦ ται, Ῥαφαὴλ μὲν προσφέροντος περὶ Τωβὴτ καὶ Σάῤῥας λογικὴν ἱερουργίαν τῷ θεῷ (μετὰ γὰρ τὴν εὐχὴν ἀμφοτέρων «εἰσηκούσθη,» φησὶν ἡ γραφὴ, «προσευχὴ ἀμφοτέρων ἐνώπιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ με γάλου Ῥαφαὴλ, καὶ ἀπεστάλη ἰάσασθαι τοὺς δύο»· καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ῥαφαὴλ, φανερῶν ἑαυτοῦ ὡς ἀγγέλου τὴν κατὰ πρόσταγμα τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς ἀμφοτέρους οἰκονομίαν, φησί· «καὶ νῦν ὅτε προσηύξω σὺ καὶ ἡ νύμφη σου Σάῤῥα, ἐγὼ προσήγαγον τὸ μνημόσυνον τῆς προσευχῆς ὑμῶν ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἁγίου,» καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· «ἐγώ εἰμι Ῥαφαὴλ, εἷς τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλων, οἳ προσαναφέρουσι <τὰς προσευχὰς τῶν ἁγίων> καὶ εἰσπορεύονται ἐνώπιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ ἁγίου»· κατὰ τὸν λόγον γοῦν τοῦ Ῥαφαὴλ «ἀγαθὸν προσευχὴ μετὰ νηστείας καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης καὶ δικαιοσύνης») Ἱερεμίου δὲ, ὡς ἐν τοῖς Μακκαβαϊκοῖς ἐπιφαινομένου, «πολιᾷ καὶ δόξῃ» διαφέροντος, ὡς «θαυμαστήν τινα καὶ μεγαλοπρεπεστάτην εἶναι τὴν περὶ