Chapter XVI

Do Sinners gain Anything From God by their Prayers?

S. Augustine says[244]: "If God did not hear sinners, in vain would the publican have said, _God be merciful to me a sinner_"; and S. Chrysostom says[245]: "_Every one that asketh receiveth_--that is, whether he be just man or sinner." Hence the prayers of sinners do win something from God.

In a sinner we have to consider two things: his nature, which God loves; his fault, which God hates. If, then, a sinner asks something of God formally as a sinner--that is, according to his sinful desires--God, out of His mercy, does not hear him, though sometimes He does hear him in His vengeance, as when He permits a sinner to fall still farther into sin. For God "in mercy refuses some things which in anger He concedes," as S. Augustine says.[246] But that prayer of a sinner which proceeds from the good desire of his nature God hears, not, indeed, as bound in justice to do so, for that the sinner cannot merit, but out of His pure mercy, and on condition, too, that the four above-mentioned conditions are observed--namely, that he prays for himself, for things needful for his salvation, that he prays devoutly and perseveringly.

Some, however, maintain that sinners do not by their prayers win anything from God, thus:

1. It is said in the Gospel,[247] _Now we know that God doth not hear sinners_; and this accords with those words of _Proverbs[248]; He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination_. But a prayer which is "an abomination" cannot win anything from God.

But, as S. Augustine remarks,[249] the words first quoted are
due to the blind man as yet unanointed--viz., not yet perfectly
illumined--and hence they are not valid; though they might be
true if understood of a sinner precisely as such, and in this
sense, too, his prayer is said to be "an abomination."

2. Again, just men obtain from God what they merit, as we have said above. Sinners, however, can merit nothing, since they are without grace, and even without charity which, according to the Gloss[250] on the words, _Having an appearance of piety, but denying the power thereof_, is "the _power_ of piety." And hence they cannot pray piously, which, as we have said above, is requisite if prayer is to gain what it asks for.

But though a sinner cannot pray piously in the sense that his
prayer springs from the habit of virtue, yet his prayer can be
pious in the sense that he asks for something conducive to
piety, just as a man who has not got the habit of justice can
yet wish for some just thing, as we have pointed out above. And
though such a man's prayer is not meritorious, it may yet have
the power of winning favours; for while merit reposes upon
justice, the power of winning favours reposes upon grace.

3. Lastly, S. Chrysostom says[251]: "The Father does not readily hear prayers not dictated by the Son." But in the prayer which Christ dictated it is said: _Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors_, which sinners do not. Hence sinners either lie when they say this prayer, and so do not deserve to be heard, or, if they do not say it, then they are not heard because they do not make use of the form of prayer instituted by Christ.

But, as we have explained above, the _Lord's Prayer_ is spoken
in the name of the whole Church. Consequently, if a man--while
unwilling to forgive his neighbour his debts--yet says this
prayer, he does not lie; for while what he says is not true as
regards himself, it yet remains true as regards the Person of
the Church outside of which he deservedly is, and he loses, in
consequence, the fruit of his prayer. Sometimes, however,
sinners are ready to forgive their debtors, and consequently
their prayers are heard, in accordance with those words of
Ecclesiasticus[252]: _Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt
thee, and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou
prayest._

"With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he
shall like well his way. When he shall fall, he shall not be
bruised, for the Lord putteth His hand under him. I have been
young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken,
nor his seed seeking bread."[253]