The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-10
ST. STEPHENS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Sermon by the Rev. DIR. e. McGIynn or
Prayer-Why We Should Pray and
How We Should Pray.
At the principal mass in st. Stephens church
East Twenty-eIghth street, yesterday morning, the
Rev. DR.. MeGynn, pastor Of the church, delivered
plain, practical, colloquial discourse the nature
and necessity of prayer After reading portions
of the Gospel Matthew xviii. l, 81 and epistle
Il. Thessalonians, ivy, the reverend preacher
entered at once upon the discussion Of the subject
which be had previously promised would form the
theme Of his discourse. He showed that 1t was
especially appropriate to debate on this subject in
this holy season. as 1t was not intended to be q
season of penance more than q season OF prayer
The one
aa- rn GREAT OBJECT OF PENANCE,
he said, Ia to so subdue our baser nature that II
may cease to Obstruct our better from a union
with Cod which is prayer. We should understand
what prayer Is, how we should pray, and what we
should pray for. Prayer is generally defined to be
sse
Is broader, and is defined as the raising OF the
mind to GOd-really
1t Is one OF the first duties OF Christian, as may
be gathered from the teachings and examples o.
receive seek and you shall and Knock and III It shall shall
be opened unto you" Here we have His command
and and His gracious promise: We have the law and
for His public work by prayer. He did not 90 into
during His public work, we read, He spent S' whole
nights In prayer. SO we have the positive command
and example Of our Saviour, and 1t arises from the
very nature OF the work we have on hand that we
should pray; we should be intent on the saving OF
our souls; we should prepare our souls by prayer
TO receive the grace OF God which can only be
obtained with our cooperation.
THE IDEA OF THE GRACE OF GOD
sys ree g M I'm s We nave no right
Tor 1t; must pray for II. II we had right to 1t we
might demand 1t. For this reason It is our Lord
commended by the lives and example OF the saints
OF God. The greater saints, we shall find, the
been good but he is good as soon as he has learned
TO pray right. 1t was said Of an enemy Of God,
DsnOa nc prayesn Il Was tnougas could
THE NATURE OF PRAYER.
The nature OF q conversation with God can be
verse, and the nature OF God, with whom we have
to converse. Hn ~ ~ peg
go PRAYER SHOULD BE HUMBLE.
We should approach God with respect, with awe,
with dread. We should endeav0r TO see God and
ourselves II we succeed In this we shall make
are used to see ourselves. We should remember
that all Is naked to the eye OF Him with whom we
place for array for stluttins for putting on airs
We have no rights; nothing but duties to perform
We are cOnversing with One who can see at .
glance.
PRAYER MUST BE CONFIDENT.
we should ask with confidence based on
1t is good for US pray, and He does not ask to
perform o mere m0ckery. We should ask with .
dence based don on the Christian virtue Of hope;
Gods goodness and power on one hand and Gods
fidelity on the other.
PRAYER MUST DE PERsRvRRINa.
This arises from the nature OF the case. Our
prayer Is heard even when we do not get the tenn
70 an excuse to talk sV0s so@e great
person; some one from whom we can learn some
thingS With immensely greater force should we
I'm a a y0una to- wit nd Ia Ia IN
philosophy OF prayer, and prayer Is better for US
than anything else we can ask unless the grace Of
God itself. True prayer is like heaven itself, as
heaven Is but converse with God on most intimate
terms.
The reverend orator then described the manner
in which our saviour had commanded us to pray
by explaining the Lords Prayer, and closed with
fine per0ratiOn and exnortati0n founded on the
various points OF his discourse.