The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-10-17
PRAYER IN THE ORDER OF
PROVIDENCE.

Divine Providence, says Father
Devivier, S. j., while determining in
advance the effects that are to happen
in the material world around US, has
also determined the order of their
occurrence and the causes that are to
produce them. Now, among these
causes human acts hold conspicuous
place and must be taken into account.
Man will perform such and such an
act, say, address a prayer to the Lord,
or perform some penitential act with
view to implore an extraordinary
favor not obtainable from human aid,
say, for instance, the healing of a
naturally incurable disease or the
ceasing of a pestilence, of drought,
the quelling of storm, etc. BY so do
ing he does not mean to change there
and then the disposition of Divine
Providence, or, as a certain Methodist
divine supposes, Ito make an assault
on all Gods laws of matter, mind and
spirit" but he simply voluntarily full
fills what God requires, and on account
of which He, from all eternity, de-
creed to grant the favor asked and
disposed natural events accordingly.
Here, while referring to the activity
of the natural laws governing the ma
terial Universe, we must not overlook
the hottest and sublimest of laws, and
that is the law of prayer and it's bear
ing on the moral, spiritual world, the
world of souls. For, in accordance
with Gods benevolent designs, prayer"
is law, nay power, playing a most
important part in the harmony of the
supernatural world. AS the late Ten
nyson puts it: More things are
wrought by prayer than this world
dreams Of" And this law springs
not from the nature of things, but
rather from the will of the Supreme
Lawgiver, who has established it. God
then, in consequence of his foreknowI-
edge and saving power, has regulated
from all eternity both the effects and
their causes; from eternity He has
resolved to grant some special favors,
and He has decreed that in some
particular cases prayer should be their
cause and indispensable condition.
divine heart: At such and such epoch
of time | will fertilize the arid land
by copious rains; l will cure the sick,
raise the death to life, quell the rag
ing storm, arrest the ravages of
famine, pestilence and war, because at
that epoch of time my children will
raise to Me their supplicating hands,
repent of their transgressions and
throw themselves into the arms of
My mercy.
So did God decree from the beginn-
ing; and shall we accuse Him of in
stability, of inconsistency, of muta-
bility, because His eternal DEGREES
are being faithfully fulfilled in the
course of time? This charge would
be supremely unjust, unreasonable
and absurd. Because God is good,
and merciful to His creatures even to
the granting of temporal favors and
material good, He does not cease to
be immutable. Prayer, then, instead
of disturbing the order of His govern
ment, only fulfills His eternal designs.
He knows from all eternity all the
free acts of His creatures, and, there
fore, knows whether prayer shall be
offered in such and such emergency;
and if He decreed that a miraculous
effect shall reward a worthy prayer,
He has also foreseen that such a
prayer shall be made Therefore, as a
most kind and merciful Father, when
ever He grants favor in answer to
our prayers, we may justly imagine
Him to say, my son, from all eternity
l have resolved to give you what you
ask today. l was only waiting for the
request that you would address to me
for the benefit you wish to obtain"