The last means St. Alphonsus Liguori gives us to overcome lukewarmness is prayer… the most important means for the spiritual life and advancing in the love of Jesus Christ.

In considering prayer to combat lukewarmness, St. Alphonsus first says we must consider how God reveals His great love for man by prayer.

<>We read in Holy Scripture, “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened.”   There is no greater proof, says St. Alphonsus, of one’s affection for his friend than to tell him, “My friend, ask of me something so that I may give it to thee.” 

But that is exactly what God asks of us.  Almighty God descends from heaven to ask us to be His friends; it is as if a great king met us on the way and said, “My friends, ask of me, seek of me, knock at my door so that I may give to thee treasures and open the door of My kingdom to you.” 

Next, St. Alphonsus directs our attention to the simplicity and power of prayer.  Prayer costs nothing; it requires no special permit, skill, or strength, yet it is able to accomplish all things.  “Prayer, although a small thing, can do great things,” says Theodorus.   Moreover, the humble prayer is never refused.  King David writes, “Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer, or removed His steadfast love from me.”  St. Augustine says as long as we pray we can be sure never to lose the favor of God’s mercy.

Moreover, God wants all mankind to pray to Him so that He may enrich them.  St. Paul writes, “The same Lord is Lord of all and He is generous to all who call on Him.” (Rm 10:12)

Next, St. Alphonsus says although humble prayer indeed obtains everything from God, we should more consider prayer as essential for our salvation.

Prayer is essential for man’s salvation because we absolutely need God’s help to rout temptation.  St. Alphonsus observes that normally the sufficient grace which God gives to all mankind would strengthen man enough allowing him to reject temptations, however, on account of his fallen nature and inclination to sin, man needs added grace to resist temptation.  Those who ask for this added grace in prayer receive it; those who do not ask for it, receive nothing. 

Along these lines, St. Alphonsus advises us to pray for the grace of final perseverance, a grace absolutely needed for salvation.  So few are saved, he says, because so few ask for this grace.

Again, St. Alphonsus says prayer is both a precept and a means of salvation.  He says the Fathers of the Church teach that anyone who omits to commend his soul to God, at least once a month, has committed a mortal sin.  Prayer, however, is not only a precept, but also the means of salvation, that is to say, those who do not pray can not be saved.   

The reason those who do not pray cannot be saved is very simple.  We know well that without God’s grace no one can be saved.  God, however, only dispenses grace to those who ask for it.  As temptations and spiritual dangers continually beset us, so our prayers for God assistance must be continual.  And so St. Paul writes, “Pray without ceasing.”

St. Alphonsus says no sooner do we stop making our case with God then the devil conquers us.

And while we can never merit the grace of final perseverance (Council of Trent), in a certain sense we can obtain it every day; if we pray everyday, so we receive everyday. 

So, if we wish to remain steadfast friends of God until death, we must beg His constant help… like hungry chicks in the nest.  To this end, St. Alphonsus composes the prayer, “My Jesus, mercy; do not let me be separated from You.  O Lord, come to my aid; My God, save me!”

Next, St. Alphonsus says to pray with faith.  God has promised, “Ask and you shall receive.” 

St. Augustine cautions us never to doubt whether or not God will hear our prayer.  “How can we doubt since God has bound Himself by express promise and cannot fail to grant us the favors we ask of Him?”   St. Alphonsus adds that we must have a “sure confidence” that God hears us.  “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mk 11:24)

Perhaps someone will say, “I am a sinner and do not deserve to be heard.”  Remind him of the Savior’s words, “Everyone who asks receives.” (Lk 11:10)  Sinners and just alike will receive.  St. Thomas says prayer does not depend on our merit but on the mercy of God who has promised to hear everyone who calls upon Him.  “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him; who call upon Him in truth.” (Ps 144:18)

Recall the scripture, “Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you.”  (Jn 16:23)  St. Alphonsus says it this way, “Sinners, as you have no merits to obtain grace, so when you want grace I want you to ask the heavenly Father in My name, that is to say, in and through My merits and love; ask as much as you will, and it shall be granted.”

St. Alphonsus says we ask, “in My name” because we ask ‘in the Name of the Savior’ which is to say, we must ask for and seek those graces which regard our eternal salvation.

The promises of the Savior do not relate to temporal concerns, only eternal ones.  If our worldly requests service our salvation, He grants them; when they do not, He denies them.  Thus, we should always ask for temporal favors on condition they service our salvation.  

To this end, St. Alphonsus offers the prayer, “Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, deliver me from this temptation.  Give me holy perseverance, give me Your love, give me paradise.”

Finally, when we pray, St. Alphonsus says we should commend ourselves to the Blessed Virgin,  the dispenser of graces.  God has chosen Mary to hand graces to others.  St. Bernard says, “Let us seek grace; and seek it through Mary; what she seeks, she finds; she cannot be refused.”  If Mary prays for us, we are safe. Mary’s prayers always receive a hearing, nor are they refused.

Next time, we shall return to the signs of divine love working in the soul beginning with, “Love is not boastful” which St. Alphonsus explains, “Those who love Jesus Christ are not vain about their own worth, but humble themselves, and are glad to be humbled by others.”