and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (S. Luke xi. 9.) It would have sufficed to say, "Ask;" but no, the Lord wished to make us understand that we ought to become as mendicants who cease not to ask, to urge, and to knock at the door until they receive some charity. And final perseverance is especially a grace which cannot be obtained without continual prayer. This perseverance, says S. Augustine, cannot be merited by us, but by prayer, which, in a certain way, does merit it. Let us then ever pray, and let us never cease to pray, if we wish to be saved. And who is that confessor or preacher who will ever cease to exhort us to prayer, if he desires that our souls should be saved?
Affections and Prayers.
My God, I hope that Thou hast already pardoned me, but my enemies will never cease to fight against me until my death; if Thou dost not help me, I shall be lost. But through the merits of Jesus Christ, I entreat Thee for holy perseverance. "Suffer me not to be separated from Thee." And I entreat the same grace for all those who are now living in Thy love; I am certain that trusting in Thy promise Thou wilt give me the strength to persevere if I continue to ask Thee for it. But I greatly fear lest in temptation I should fail to fly to Thee, and so fall again. I ask Thee, therefore, for grace, so that I may never cease to pray. Grant that in all occasions of falling again into sin I may ever commend myself to Thee, and may call to my aid the most holy Name of Jesus. My God, I purpose and hope to do this if Thou wilt help me with Thy grace. Hear me for the love of Jesus Christ.
