One of the things that hinders us in prayer is that we do not ask “enough.” 

This applies in two ways:

  1. We don’t ask often enough
  2. We ask for the small stuff

The first point is probably obvious to everyone. Most of us know we are often too impatient (and even forgetful) with prayer, and that anything worth asking probably deserves consistent attention. The scriptures make that pretty clear, telling us to “wait patiently for the Lord (Psalms 40:1), “to seek His face continually” (1 Chronicles 16:11), “to pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), etc.

The second point is less obvious. It refers to the fact that we are usually consumed with prayers for temporal things rather than eternal things. St. Claude de la Colombière addresses this when he says, “We are not forbidden to wish for money, material well-being and whatever is necessary to maintain us in our position in life, but we must wish for these things in their proper order.  If we want our desires in this respect to be met without fail we must first of all ask for the larger things, so that while granting them He may also add the smaller ones.”

St. Claude then goes on to point out that the larger things, the things that truly matter, are virtues and graces. We need these more than anything temporal, no matter how seemingly important our worldly circumstances may appear. He continues, “Until we have obtained these first graces, anything else may be harmful to us and, in fact, usually is so.”

The case of Solomon is an instructive one for this idea. St. Claude says, “God gave him the choice of whatever he desired and he asked for wisdom.  He did not ask for riches or glory, judging that if God gave him such an opportunity, he ought to make use of it to obtain the greatest advantage. His prudence gained for him both what he asked for and what he did not ask for.  Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself, long life or riches... behold I have done for you according to your words -- I will willingly grant you wisdom because you have asked me for it, but I will give you long life, honour and riches as well because you did not ask for any of them -- Yea, and the things also which you did not ask, to wit, riches and glory.”

Many saints are quick to point out that prayers for virtues and graces are the ones that God is most eager to grant. When it comes to praying for the Spirit-led boldness we need for the work of evangelization, it’s clear that keeping the necessary virtues at the forefront will make all the difference. In answering those, God will also be able to take care of the related temporal details that are typically the ones that trip us up.

In prayer then, let us “seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,” and allow Him to give us all temporal things besides.

? Elijah Bautista

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