Chapter 14 Part 4 - Of those petitions that are made by bringing forth claims

 

Extracts from the Dux Spiritualis by the Venerable Louis de Ponte SJ

Section 3 – Of those petitions that are made by bringing forth claims

Page 188 - There remains a 3^rd mode of asking, much more expeditious and in general use: this is to ask God our Lord to free us from some particular evil or to communicate to us some special blessing, expressing formally the thing desired and the claims we would allege, as well as anything else our devotion may suggest: this may be called the rhetoric of the Holy Spirit and a kind of celestial eloquence which is able to conquer Him who is invincible.

Many beautiful examples of such prayers may be found in Holy Scripture.

Sometimes it is well to begin with the praises of God, as if to gain His good will before proffering our request…… At other times we may enter straightaway upon our petitions, as one sees himself in imminent peril. But in all alike should be included some claim or reason why we hope for a favourable answer.

To this mode of prayer the Apostle gives the name of supplication; it is particularly well suited to the poor, as Solomon tells us: the poor will speak with supplications [Proverbs xviii, 23].

Page 189 - By means of such supplications thy humility will strike deeper roots, and thou will realise thy own indigence and how little thou dost deserve to be answered unless thou… multiply thy prayers and intercessions.

At the same time thy confidence will increase, and thou will learn to rely on it much more than thy own merits.

Since for our own part we have no claims to allege but our utter misery and indigence, we must perforce borrow some from God Himself, from Christ our Lord, and from the Saints: combining them with those based on our own wretchedness, and so by all these induce Him to show us mercy.