Chapter 4.1 That Prayer is a gift of God

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

As faith is a gift, and wisdom is a gift: so also is prayer a gift proceeding from the Holy Ghost himself; as no one can believe rightly without the gift of Faith: neither can anyone pray as he ought without the spirit of prayer. St Paul in his Epistle to the Romans [Rom. viii, 26] , gives us the reason for this: 

            The Spirit helpeth our infirmity: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the                     Spirit Himself askest for us with unspeakable groanings.