The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-08-18
2
BUTTE. :
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Father McCourt on Prayer.

(Correspondence Intermountatn CathohcJ
Butte. Mont. Aug 14.-Rev. Father
McCourt preached on Prayer at ~.
Patrick's church or Sunday evening.
He said in part:
Amen, amen, 1 say unto you, II you
ask the Father anything in My name
He will give it OF you. Hitherto you
have not asked anything in My name
Ask and you shall receive. that your JOY
may be full. st. John. To- 23d and z4th
verses.
"These consoling words, my dear
brethren, are to be found in that longest
and most touching discourse OF our
Lord that spoken on the night OF lne
last supper Uttered as they were, Tor
the comfort of the apostles, who were
soon to be separated from Him ana
from one another, who were ABOUT 10
begin a new era of heroic labors and
SufferingS unsustained by human help
or sympathy-they are much more than
words of mere passing comfort. They
are the renewed declaration and mani
feStation of a great truth. Our LORD
had tried to impress upon them; they
are the last confirmation to what NAG
ever been His doctrine and practice.
That doctrine was the importance OF
prayer; that example was the proper
methods and conditions of prayer. The
Deated command: Ask they contain
His promise twice renewed; Ask, and
you shall receive; if you ask, the Father
will give they point out the univer-
salty of His willingness and the extent
of our needs. Anything they incul-
cate the condition, in My name, and
finally they foretell the reward That
your joy may be full-not simply the
satisfaction, the cOntentment, that
I,t- -i,,rr a ne
wered, but that blessedness of peace
and strength which comes from con-
verse with God.
Prayer may be called the ordinary
dress, the inseparable garment of the
soul; it is the proper attitude. the hab-
itual posture of an intelligent being
before its Maker; it is the sign of bodily
life; it is the warp. the substantial
background and basis of the souls ac-
tivities. reason, conscience and depend.
ence, upon which the filling up, the col
Ors are inserted and woven; such is
prayer to the Christian possessed OF
faith-the mould in which, consciously
and unconsciously, his thoughts, words
and actions are cast, forming part of
one and the same thing
Prayer is an act. is the raising up of
our mtndstO God. to acknowledge His
sovereignty. to render Him homage,
in soul and body.
''he great duties of life can. ordi-
narily, be discharged only by prayer,
for by prayer we honr God and glorify
His projections.
by prayer we join with and give
joy to the holy angels
by prayer we build up the church
on earth
BY prayer we air our brethren, living
and dead.
by prayer we subdue our inferior
nature.
by prayer we quel1 temptation and
put the evil one to flight.
by prayer we support the evils of
life and gain merit.
by prayer we grow in virtue and
grace.
BY it we obtain that final grace of
perseverance and a blessed eternity.
and when we shall stand in the light
and vastness of that, our true life, face
to face with Cod, even then we shall
pray, though the manner be changed
for, from a need duty privilege.
prayer, contemplation, fruition shall be
our occupation and beatitude forever
more"