CatholicTheology.info

Choose a topic from Part 3a:

• The Incarnation
  • 1. Fitness of the Incarnation
  • 2. The Union of the Word and the Flesh
  • 3. The Person Assuming Human Nature
  • 4. The Nature Assumed
  • 5. Elements of the Nature Assumed
  • 6. Order of the Elements Assumed
  • 7. The Grace of Christ as a Man
  • 8. The Grace of Christ as Head of the Church
  • 9. Knowledge in Christ
  • 10. The Beatific Knowledge in Christ
  • 11. Christ's Infused Knowledge
  • 12. Christ's Acquired Knowledge
  • 14. Deficiencies in the Body of Christ
  • 15. Limitations or Deficiencies in Christ's Human Soul
  • 16. Consequences of the Hypostatic Union
  • 17. The Oneness of the Being of Christ
  • 18. The Unity of Will in Christ
  • 19. The Unity of Operation in Christ
  • 20. The Subjection of Christ to God the Father
  • 21. The Prayer of Christ
  • 22. The Priesthood of Christ
  • 23. The Adoption of Sons
  • 24. The Predestination of Christ
  • 25. The Adoration of Christ
  • 26. Christ as Mediator
• Our Blessed Lady
• Our Lord Jesus Christ
• The Sacraments in General
• Baptism
• Confirmation
• The Holy Eucharist
• Penance

21. The Prayer of Christ

1. A prayer, as petition, is asking God to fulfillone's wish or will. Now, the human will of Christ is finite,and hence not capable, without divine power, of carrying out orachieving all that it wishes. Therefore, it is fitting that Christas man should pray.

2. The sentient appetites (which we sometimes call theaffections or desires of the heart) are not in themselves capableof making a prayer. For, in themselves, the sentient appetites areof the order of sense, and prayer is of the order of reason, thatis, of the order of will enlightened by intellect. The will makes aprayer that the affections and desires of the heart be fulfilled,and such was Christ's prayer: "Let this chalicepass." The sensitive will made this prayer; then the will asreason made a better prayer, "Not my will, but thine bedone," and so subjected all to God.

3. Christ prayed for himself: for example, when he prayedfor the Resurrection (John 17:1): "Father, glorify thySon"; and also when he prayed to be spared the suffering ofthe Passion. It is becoming that Christ should pray thus, for so heacknowledges the truth that God is the author of his human nature.Besides, he gives us a valuable example of making petition to Godin all our needs.

4. The perfect will of Christ as man (that is, the willas reason inChrist) never willed anything other thanwhat he knew, in the fullness of his knowledge, to be the will ofGod. Therefore every absolute will-act of Christ as man wasfulfilled; every prayer of Christ was answered.

"God gives us some things, as the beginning of faith, even when we do not pray. Other things, such as perseverance, he has only provided for those who pray."
St Augustine

* * *

"The name of Jesus, pronounced with reverence and affection, has a kind of power to soften the heart. "
St Philip Neri

* * *

"Obedience is the true holocaust which we sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts."
St Philip Neri

* * *

Copyright