Padre Pio Press

Question 038.

If contemplation is the height of all prayer, why should we use vocal prayer?

At certain stipulated times, we employ words in our prayer to God. And it is by signs such as these that we correct ourselves and discover the degree of progress obtained in this desire, in order to burn even more and achieve an increase in strength. According to the proportion of […]

Question 037.

What effects does prayer bring about in the soul?

Prayer produces a certain conversion of the heart towards him who is already ready to give inasmuch as we are in condition to receive.  And in this conversion a purification of the interior eye is wrought in such a way that those things in the temporal order which we used to desire are excluded.  […]

Question 036.

What relation does charity have to prayer?

Whoever has brotherly charity, and his heart withstands the interrogation of a just examination of conscience, discovering nothing but the true root of charity from which good fruits come, by this man has confidence in God and shall indeed receive from him whatever he asks, because he keeps his commandments.

from St. Augustine Answers […]

Question 035. 

So there seem to be degrees of faith.  Can we say that the degree of faith we have is determined by our degree of prayer?

Consider the Apostles:  they would never have left all they had, trodden this world’s hopes underfoot, and followed the Lord if their faith were not great.  And yet, if their faith were perfect, they would not have said […]

Question 034. 

Christ says, Watch and pray, that you do not fall into temptation.  What is the relation between prayer and temptation?

What is to enter into temptation but to fail in faith?  Temptation advances as faith lets up.  And temptation yields as faith advances… He who fights prays, and would not he who is in danger pray?

from St. Augustine […]