Yesterday we encouraged intercessory prayer based on our Holy Father’s appeal through the letter “Scrutate”, to religious.
Today we add to this suggestion by quoting St. Francis de Sales thoughts on prayer.
He said, “But between meditation and contemplation there is the petition which is made when, after having considered the goodness of Our Lord, His infinite love, His omnipotence, we become confident enough to ask for and entreat Him to give us what we desire. Now there are three kinds of petition, each of which is made differently: The first is made by justice, the second is made by authority, and the third is made by grace.
The petition which is made by justice cannot be called “prayer,” although we use this word, because in a petition of justice we ask for a thing which is due to us. A petition which is made by authority ought not be called “prayer” either; for as soon as someone who has great authority over us — such as a parent, a lord or a master — uses the word “please,” we say immediately to him, “You can command,” or “Your ‘please’ serves as my command.” But true prayer is that which is made by grace, i.e., when we ask for something which is not due to us at all, and when we ask it of someone who is far superior to us, as God is.”
Source: Sermons of St Francis de Sales on Prayer, Chapter one