"A person who rails at God in adversity, suffers without merit; moreover by his lack of resignation he adds to his punishment in the next life and experiences greater disquietude of mind in this life."

St Alphonsus de Liguori

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"God gives us some things, as the beginning of faith, even when we do not pray. Other things, such as perseverance, he has only provided for those who pray."

St Augustine

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"Every man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars."

Thomas à Kempis

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St Alphonsus de Liguori  (1696 - 1787)
 

PRAYER
The great means of obtaining Salvation and all the graces which we desire of God

by St Alphonsus de Liguori

CONTENTS

A Work of Ascetic Theology
Introduction
Definition of Prayer
Plan of the Work
 

PART 1
Ch1. The Necessity of Prayer
1. Prayer is a means necessary to salvation
2. Without prayer it is impossible to resist temptations and to keep the commandments
3. Invocation of the Saints
    » Is it good and useful to have recourse to the intercession of the saints?
    » Is it good to invoke also the souls in Purgatory?
    » Is it our duty to pray for the souls in Purgatory?
    » Is it necessary to invoke the Saints?
4. The Intercession of the Blessed Virgin
  Conclusion of the Chapter
   
Ch2. The Power of Prayer
1. Excellence of prayer and its power with God
2. Power of prayer against temptation
3. God is always ready to hear us
4. We should not limit ourselves to asking for little things. To pray is better than to meditate.
  Conclusion of the Chapter
   
Ch3. The Conditions of Prayer
1. Which are the requisite conditions?
    » Object of prayer
    » Can we pray efficaciously for others?
    » We ought to pray for sinners
    » We must ask for graces necessary for salvation
    » Other conditions of prayer
2. The humility with which we should pray
3. The confidence with which we ought to pray
    » Excellence and necessity of this virtue
    » Foundation of our confidence
    » The prayer of sinners
4. The perseverance required in prayer
      Why God delays granting us final perseverance. Conclusion
 

 PART II >>