Few understand or realize God’s loving-kindness toward mankind and how He wants to help.  He wills that we ask with faith and with confidence and He will hear our prayers and will answer them.  

Let’s determine what Our Lord, the Doctors of the Church, and the Saints teach about how to pray with success.

The Lord Himself has taught: “All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”^[1]

St. Augustine, speaking of this faith, thus comments on the Lord’s words: “Without faith, prayer is useless.”^[2]

This is the meaning of the exhortation of St. Ignatius to those who would approach God in prayer:

Be not of doubtful mind in prayer; blessed is he who hath not doubted.  Wherefore, to obtain from God what we ask, faith and an assured confidence, are of first importance, according to the admonition of St. James: “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.”^[3]

The Council of Trent Catechism assures us:

Unworthy, then, as we are, of obtaining our requests, yet considering and resting our claims upon the dignity of our great Mediator and Intercessor, Jesus Christ, we should hope and trust most confidently, that, through His merits, God will grant us all that we ask in the proper way.^[4]

But what most ensures the accomplishment of our desires is the union of faith and hope with that conformity of all our thoughts, actions, and prayers to God’s law and pleasure.  “If”, He says, “you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you.”^[5]

We must not imitate the example of those who become tired of praying, if, after having prayed once or twice, they succeed not in obtaining the object of their prayers.  We should never be weary of the duty of prayer, as we are taught by the authority of Christ the Lord and of the Apostle.  And should the will at any time fail us, we should beg of God by prayer the strength to persevere.^[6]

The Son of God would also have us present our prayers to the Father in His name; for, by His merits and the influence of His mediation, our prayers acquire such weight that they are heard by our heavenly Father.  For He Himself says in St. John: “Amen, Amen, I say unto you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, He will give it to you.  Hitherto you have not asked anything in My name: ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full”; and again, “Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, that will I do.”^[7] 

Prayer is loving conversation with God.  The mere thought of God is not prayer: devils think of God, but they do not pray.  In prayer we concentrate all the powers of our souls and elevate them to God.  Is it not an honor to be allowed to talk to the President of our country?  But at any moment we can talk to God Almighty in prayer; He has no hours of appointment; He has no secretaries to forbid our entrance into His presence.^[8]                                                                     

“And He also told them a parable – that they must always pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).  God wants us to talk to Him at any hour of the day and night, and even of the most trifling things.  The oftener we speak to Him, the better is He pleased.  “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)^[9]

Even the prayer of sinners is profitable, especially when they are sorry for their sins; but the purer our heart is, the better is God disposed to hear our petitions.^[10]

Who would have the temerity to enter a king's presence clad in filthy and torn garments?  Yet in praying with an impure heart a man would be doing much worse – coming into the presence of God with a stained soul.^[11]

With loving trust in His goodness, we should have confidence, filled with a firm belief that God will grant our prayer if it is for our good.^[12]

God knows best what is for our good, so if we do not receive what we pray for with faith and confidence, understand that a good and loving God will deny our request out of love for us.  He wants only what is good for us and for our salvation.

Let’s consider the importance of having confidence in prayer and in Christ.  St. Peter found out what happens when doubt takes over; he began to sink into the Sea of Galilee when he lost confidence in Christ, Who was standing on the water near Peter’s boat.

The prayers said by uncompromising traditional Catholics in the catacombs, with faith and confidence, will be answered.  Christ knows what we need in order to stand up and fight for Him and His Kingship.  We must especially fight the conciliar counter-church’s war against Catholic tradition.

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