Saint John-Mary Vianney (1786-1859)
priest, curé of Ars
Sermon on the 5th Sunday after Easter
Why pray without ceasing?
What then are the benefits which we receive by prayer, which we must pray so often? My brothers, here they are. Prayer makes our crosses less heavy, it softens our sorrows and we are less attached to life, it draws upon us the gaze of God’s mercy, it strengthens our soul against sin, it makes us desire penance and makes us practice it with pleasure, it makes us feel and understand how much sin outrages the good God. Let us say better, my brothers, through prayer we please God, we enrich our souls, and we assure ourselves eternal life. Tell me, my brothers, do we need more to lead us to make our life nothing but continual prayer through our union with God?
When you love someone, do you need to see them to think about them? No, probably. Likewise, my brothers, if we love the good God, prayer will be as familiar to us as breathing. However, my brothers, I will tell you that to pray in such a way that it can attract all these goods to us, it is not enough to use a moment in haste, that is to say, with precipitation. The good Lord wants us to spend a suitable time there, that we at least have time to ask him for the graces that are necessary for us, to thank him for his benefits, and to lament over our past faults while asking him for forgiveness.
But, you will ask me, how can we pray without ceasing? My brothers, nothing could be easier: it is to take care of the good Lord, from time to time, during our work; sometimes doing an act of love, to show him that we love him, because he is good and worthy of being loved; sometimes, an act of humility, recognizing us as unworthy of the graces with which he continues to shower us; sometimes an act of trust, because, although very miserable, we know that he loves us and wants to make us happy. See, my brothers, how easy it is to pray without ceasing while doing this.