Conferences I–X, Conference IX

Conference IX

• Conferences I–X IX.1 — Introduction to the Conference. What was promised in the second book of the Institutes on continual and unceasing perseverance in prayer, shall be by the Lord’s help fulfilled by the Conferences of this Elder, whom…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.2 — The words of Abbot Isaac on the nature of prayer. The aim of every monk and the perfection of his heart tends to continual and unbroken perseverance in prayer, and, as far as it is allowed to human frailty, strives…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.3 — How pure and sincere prayer can be gained. And therefore in order that prayer may be offered up with that earnestness and purity with which it ought to be, we must by all means observe these rules. First all anxiety…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.4 — Of the lightness of the soul which may be compared to a wing or feather. For the nature of the soul is not inaptly compared to a very fine feather or very light wing, which, if it has not been damaged or affected by…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.5 — Of the ways in which our soul is weighed down. But we should notice the ways in which the Lord points out that the soul is weighed down: for He did not mention adultery, or fornication, or murder, or blasphemy, or…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.6 — Of the vision which a certain Elder saw concerning the restless work of a brother. And that this is not done without the prompting of devils we are taught by the surest proofs, for when one very highly esteemed Elder…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.7 — A question how it is that it is harder work to preserve than to originate good thoughts. Germanus: If only we could keep as a lasting possession those spiritual thoughts in the same way and with the same ease with…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.8 — Of the different characters of prayer. Isaac: I imagine that all kinds of prayers cannot be grasped without great purity of heart and soul and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. For there are as many of them as…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.9 — Of the fourfold nature of prayer. And therefore, when we have laid this down with regard to the character of prayer, although not so fully as the importance of the subject requires, but as fully as the exigencies of…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.10 — Of the order of the different kinds laid down with regard to the character of prayer. And so to begin with we must consider the actual force of the names and words, and discuss what is the difference between prayer…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.11 — Of Supplications. “I exhort therefore first of all that supplications be made.” Supplication is an imploring or petition concerning sins, in which one who is sorry for his present or past deeds asks for pardon.vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.12 — Of Prayer. Prayers are those by which we offer or vow something to God, what the Greeks call εὐκή, i.e., a vow. For where we read in Greek ἰὰς ἐυκάς μου τῶ κυρίῶ ἀποδώσω, in Latin we read: “I will pay my vows unto…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.13 — Of Intercession. In the third place stand intercessions, which we are wont to offer up for others also, while we are filled with fervour of spirit, making request either for those dear to us or for the peace of the…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.14 — Of Thanksgiving. Then in the fourth place there stand thanksgivings which the mind in ineffable transports offers up to God, either when it recalls God’s past benefits or when it contemplates His present ones, or…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.15 — Whether these four kinds of prayers are necessary for everyone to offer all at once or separately and in turns. Whether these four kinds of prayers are necessary for everyone to offer all at once or separately and in…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.16 — Of the kinds of prayer to which we ought to direct ourselves. Yet we ought by advancing in life and attaining to virtue to aim rather at those kinds of prayer which are poured forth either from the contemplation of…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.17 — How the four kinds of supplication were originated by the Lord. These four kinds of supplication the Lord Himself by His own example vouchsafed to originate for us, so that in this too He might fulfil that which was…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.18 — Of the Lord's Prayer. And so there follows after these different kinds of supplication a still more sublime and exalted condition which is brought about by the contemplation of God alone and by fervent love, by which…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.19 — Of the clause “Thy kingdom come.”. The second petition of the pure heart desires that the kingdom of its Father may come at once; viz., either that whereby Christ reigns day by day in the saints (which comes to pass…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.20 — Of the clause “Thy will be done.”. The third petition is that of sons: “Thy will be done as in heaven so on earth.” There can now be no grander prayer than to wish that earthly things may be made equal with things…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.21 — Of our supersubstantial or daily bread. Next: “Give us this day our bread which is ἐπιούσιον,” i.e., “supersubstantial,” which another Evangelist calls “daily.” The former indicates the quality of its nobility and…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.22 — Of the clause: “Forgive us our debts, etc.”. “And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.” O unspeakable mercy of God, which has not only given us a form of prayer and taught us a system of life…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.23 — Of the clause: “Lead us not into temptation.“. Next there follows: “And lead us not into temptation,” on which there arises no unimportant question, for if we pray that we may not be suffered to be tempted, how then…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.24 — How we ought not to ask for other things, except only those which are contained in the limits of the Lord's Prayer. How we ought not to ask for other things, except only those which are contained in the limits of the…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.25 — Of the character of the sublimer prayer. This prayer then though it seems to contain all the fulness of perfection, as being what was originated and appointed by the Lord’s own authority, yet lifts those to whom it…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.26 — Of the different causes of conviction. But who is able, with whatever experience he may be endowed, to give a sufficient account of the varieties and reasons and grounds of conviction, by which the mind is inflamed…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.27 — Of the different sorts of conviction. But how and in what way those very convictions are produced from the inmost recesses of the soul it is no less difficult to trace out. For often through some inexpressible…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.28 — A question about the fact that a plentiful supply of tears is not in our own power. Germanus: My own poor self indeed is not altogether ignorant of this feeling of conviction. For often when tears arise at the…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.29 — The answer on the varieties of conviction which spring from tears. Isaac: Not every kind of shedding of tears is produced by one feeling or one virtue. For in one way does that weeping originate which is caused by…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.30 — How tears ought not to be squeezed out, when they do not flow spontaneously. From these tears those are vastly different which are squeezed out from dry eyes while the heart is hard: and although we cannot believe…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.31 — The opinion of Abbot Antony on the condition of prayer. And that you may see the character of true prayer I will give you not my own opinion but that of the blessed Antony: whom we have known sometimes to have been…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.32 — Of the proof of prayer being heard. When, while we are praying, no hesitation intervenes and breaks down the confidence of our petition by a sort of despair, but we feel that by pouring forth our prayer we have…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.33 — An objection that the confidence of being thus heard as described belongs only to saints. Germanus: We certainly believe that this confidence of being heard flows from purity of conscience, but for us, whose heart is…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.34 — Answer on the different reasons for prayer being heard. Isaac: That there are different reasons for prayer being heard in accordance with the varied and changing condition of souls the words of the gospels and of the…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.35 — Of prayer to be offered within the chamber and with the door shut. Before all things however we ought most carefully to observe the Evangelic precept, which tells us to enter into our chamber and shut the door and…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X IX.36 — Of the value of short and silent prayer. Wherefore we ought to pray often but briefly, lest if we are long about it our crafty foe may succeed in implanting something in our heart. For that is the true sacrifice, as…vatican.va