3. WHY WE OUGHT TO PRAY? In this the promise of our Lord Jesus holds good; as it says: “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish and you shall have it.” (Gospel of St. John 15/7) By means of prayer sinners become just and the just are enabled to continue in the state of grace. This is because prayer is a safeguard against sin and temptation. The assaults of the Devil darken the understanding and weaken the will; prayer does the very opposite to it; it enlightens the understanding and strengthens the will. Saint Philippe Neri says that: “The Holy Spirit is our Comforter, because it banishes our sadness”; and the Holy Spirit comes to our aid when we have sincerity and truthfulness in our character. This mortal Earth is full of dangers, temptations and evil attacks; therefore it is very necessary that man should “Accept salvation as helmet and the Word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives” (Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians 6/17,18) and dress himself like an armed soldier ready for battle. Even our Lord when he visited this Earth armed Himself with deep prayer by praying often whole nights and by fasting for 40 days. “If our Lord,” says Saint Ambrose “spent whole nights in prayer; what ought not we poor souls should do to save our souls.” Prayer is important for us to do because without prayer one falls into grievous sins. For instance, a servant who has never saluted or spoke to his master would not long be retained in his service. Similar is the condition of man who does not pray. Such a man is surely powerless in the hour of temptation; he can be compared to a warrior without weapons, a bird without wings and a ship without sails. Saint John Chrysostom in one of his sermons regarding prayer said: “A man who does not pray has no life in him- he has ceased to breathe.” “Hence our Lord bids us watch and pray.” (Gospel of St. Mathew 26/41) Even all the nations of the world worship some deity or other, the obligation of prayer is imprinted upon the human heart.
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