He who, among other salutary admonitions and divine precepts by which he counsels his people to salvation, himself gave us a formula of prayer also advised and instructed us himself what to pray for. He who caused us to live taught us also to pray with the same generosity with which he deigned to give and bestow his other blessings, so that, in speaking to the Father with the prayer and supplication taught by the Son, we may more readily be heard. He had already foretold that the hour was coming when “those who worship him would worship the Father in spirit and truth” (Jn 4,24); and he has fulfilled what he promised, so that we, who by his sanctification have received the Spirit and truth, may also by means of his teaching worship in Spirit and truth..
For what prayer can be more spiritual than that which was given us by Christ, through whom the Holy Spirit was sent to us? What prayer to the Father can be more true than that which was sent forth from the lips of the Son, who is Truth?
So let us pray, most beloved brethren, as God the Teacher has taught. It is a loving, filial prayer when we beseech God with his own words, for this is to make Christ's own prayer ascend to his ears. Let the Father acknowledge the words of his Son, when we offer him our prayer. Let he who dwells within our breast himself be also in our voice, and since we have him as the advocate for our sins before the Father, let us speak the words of our Advocate. For he says: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you” (Jn 16,23).
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