Whether Prayer Is Meritorious?
Objection 1: It would seem that prayer is not meritorious. All merit
proceeds from grace. But prayer precedes grace, since even grace is
obtained by means of prayer according to Luke 11:13, "(How much more)
will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask
Him!" Therefore prayer is not a meritorious act.
Obj. 2: Further, if prayer merits anything, this would seem to be
chiefly that which is besought in prayer. Yet it does not always
merit this, because even the saints' prayers are frequently not
heard; thus Paul was not heard when he besought the sting of the
flesh to be removed from him. Therefore prayer is not a meritorious
act.
Obj. 3: Further, prayer is based chiefly on faith, according to James
1:6, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." Now faith is not
sufficient for merit, as instanced in those who have lifeless faith.
Therefore prayer is not a meritorious act.
_On the contrary,_ A gloss on the words of Ps. 34:13, "My prayer
shall be turned into my bosom," explains them as meaning, "if my
prayer does not profit them, yet shall not I be deprived of my
reward." Now reward is not due save to merit. Therefore prayer is
meritorious.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 13) prayer, besides causing
spiritual consolation at the time of praying, has a twofold efficacy
in respect of a future effect, namely, efficacy in meriting and
efficacy in impetrating. Now prayer, like any other virtuous act, is
efficacious in meriting, because it proceeds from charity as its
root, the proper object of which is the eternal good that we merit to
enjoy. Yet prayer proceeds from charity through the medium of
religion, of which prayer is an act, as stated above (A. 3), and with
the concurrence of other virtues requisite for the goodness of
prayer, viz. humility and faith. For the offering of prayer itself to
God belongs to religion, while the desire for the thing that we pray
to be accomplished belongs to charity. Faith is necessary in
reference to God to Whom we pray; that is, we need to believe that we
can obtain from Him what we seek. Humility is necessary on the part
of the person praying, because he recognizes his neediness. Devotion
too is necessary: but this belongs to religion, for it is its first
act and a necessary condition of all its secondary acts, as stated
above (Q. 82, AA. 1, 2).
As to its efficacy in impetrating, prayer derives this from the grace
of God to Whom we pray, and Who instigates us to pray. Wherefore
Augustine says (De Verb. Dom., Serm. cv, 1): "He would not urge us to
ask, unless He were willing to give"; and Chrysostom [*Cf. Catena
Aurea of St. Thomas on Luke 18. The words as quoted are not to be
found in the words of Chrysostom] says: "He never refuses to grant
our prayers, since in His loving-kindness He urged us not to faint in
praying."
Reply Obj. 1: Neither prayer nor any other virtuous act is
meritorious without sanctifying grace. And yet even that prayer which
impetrates sanctifying grace proceeds from some grace, as from a
gratuitous gift, since the very act of praying is "a gift of God," as
Augustine states (De Persever. xxiii).
Reply Obj. 2: Sometimes the merit of prayer regards chiefly something
distinct from the object of one's petition. For the chief object of
merit is beatitude, whereas the direct object of the petition of
prayer extends sometimes to certain other things, as stated above
(AA. 6, 7). Accordingly if this other thing that we ask for ourselves
be not useful for our beatitude, we do not merit it; and sometimes by
asking for and desiring such things we lose merit for instance if we
ask of God the accomplishment of some sin, which would be an impious
prayer. And sometimes it is not necessary for salvation, nor yet
manifestly contrary thereto; and then although he who prays may merit
eternal life by praying, yet he does not merit to obtain what he asks
for. Hence Augustine says (Liber. Sentent. Prosperi sent. ccxii): "He
who faithfully prays God for the necessaries of this life, is both
mercifully heard, and mercifully not heard. For the physician knows
better than the sick man what is good for the disease." For this
reason, too, Paul was not heard when he prayed for the removal of the
sting in his flesh, because this was not expedient. If, however, we
pray for something that is useful for our beatitude, through being
conducive to salvation, we merit it not only by praying, but also by
doing other good deeds: therefore without any doubt we receive what
we ask for, yet when we ought to receive it: "since certain things
are not denied us, but are deferred that they may be granted at a
suitable time," according to Augustine (Tract. cii in Joan.): and
again this may be hindered if we persevere not in asking for it.
Wherefore Basil says (De Constit. Monast. i): "The reason why
sometimes thou hast asked and not received, is because thou hast
asked amiss, either inconsistently, or lightly, or because thou hast
asked for what was not good for thee, or because thou hast ceased
asking." Since, however, a man cannot condignly merit eternal life
for another, as stated above (I-II, Q. 114, A. 6), it follows that
sometimes one cannot condignly merit for another things that pertain
to eternal life. For this reason we are not always heard when we pray
for others, as stated above (A. 7, ad 2, 3). Hence it is that four
conditions are laid down; namely, to ask--"for ourselves--things
necessary for salvation--piously--perseveringly"; when all these four
concur, we always obtain what we ask for.
Reply Obj. 3: Prayer depends chiefly on faith, not for its efficacy
in meriting, because thus it depends chiefly on charity, but for its
efficacy in impetrating, because it is through faith that man comes
to know of God's omnipotence and mercy, which are the source whence
prayer impetrates what it asks for.
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