Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series I, Vol. On the words of the gospel, Luke xviii. The lesson of the Holy Gospel builds us up unto the duty of praying and believing, and of not putting our trust in ourselves, but in the Lord. For an unjust judge, who feared not God, nor regarded man, yet gave ear to a widow who besought him, overcome by her importunity, not inclined thereto by kindness. If faith fail, prayer perishes.
Faith pours out prayer, and the pouring out of prayer obtains the strengthening of faith.
Faith, I say, pours out prayer, the pouring out of prayer obtains strengthening even for faith itself. He spoke of that faith, which is perfect. For it is scarce found on the earth. Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee said, God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men.