How To Make Our Prayers Pleasing To God

by St. Bernard

Confidence, humility and sincere desire: Since it is such an effective means of obtaining God's help, the Devil will be equally interested in rendering it useless. At times the fruit of prayer is lost because we are discouraged and afraid. Man thinks so much about his own unworthiness that he fails to remember the mercy of God, thinking only of his justice. We should have more confidence in God, who wills our good at all times.

Just as there is danger in timid prayer, so there is danger, too, in prayer which is presumptuous. I do not say this so as to rob sinners of their confidence, but to make them pray as they ought, as people who have sinned against justice. Let them pray for pardon of their sins, with a contrite and humble heart, as the Publican did when he said "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner". Faithful, humble and fervent prayer does reach Heaven, from which it will never return empty.

Why does God refuse to hear me? Every time I talk about prayer I think that I can hear that very human complaint: What is the use of prayer if, even though we pray without ceasing, so few of us experience any results from that prayer? It would seem that we finish our prayer as we began; no one says a word to us, no one grants us anything; rather it would seem that we have laboured in vain. But, what does the Lord say? Judge not according to appearances, but according to justice. And what is the just estimate of prayer? Nothing else but faith by which the just man lives. Therefore follow the judgment of faith and not that of appearances, because faith always tells the truth, while experiences sometimes lie. Let none of us hold prayer in small esteem, my brethren, because the Lord to whom it is directed esteems it highly. Before it has left our mouth it is written down in His book; and we can expect one of two things in return, either He will grant us what we ask or He will give us that which is of most use to us. We do not know how to pray properly, but the Lord has mercy on our ignorance. He receives our prayer with kindness, but He will not grant us things which are not for our good or things which we do not need immediately. But our prayer will not be in vain.

What we should ask for: The real petitions of the heart consist in three things, and I do not see that there is any other. The first two are of this world, that is to say, favours for the body or the soul; the third is for the next world, happiness in Heaven. We should expect from Him, and therefore ask Him for, the things which enable us to remain in His service. However, we should pray more frequently and with greater fervour for things of the spirit; also for eternal life, in which the true happiness of both body and soul consists.