|
A Short Treatise on Prayer; The Great Means of Obtaining From God Eternal Salvation, And All the Graces We Stand in Need By St Alphonsus Liguori Most Useful for All Classes of Christians Translated from the Italian BY A CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN ---------------------------------------- DUBLIN Printed by John Coyne, 24 Cooke St -------------------------- 1834 ***************************** CONTENTS Introduction Highly Important to the Reader Ch. 1 On the Necessity of Prayer Ch. 2 On the Efficacy of Prayer Ch. 3 On the Conditions of Prayer Ch. 4 Of the Humility with Which We Ought to Pray Ch. 5 On the Confidence with Which We Ought to Pray Ch. 6 On the Perseverence Necessary for Prayer God wills that all men be saved, and that no one perish (look in Abridgment of Part II) God invites and commands all sinners to return to Him (look in Abridgment of Part II) Jesus Christ has died for all men, and has offered to His eternal Father for each one, the price of His redemption (look in Abridgment of Part II) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEDICATED TO JESUS AND MARY -------------------------------------------------- O Incarnate Word! You have given your blood and your life, to merit for our prayers efficacy to obtain whatever we ask; and, O God! we are so careless about our eternal destiny, that we will not take the trouble to beg the graces necessary for salvation. You have given us, by means of Prayer, the key of all the divine treasures; and we, through neglect of Prayer, continue in our misery and wretchedness! Enlighten us, O Lord, and make us understand how efficacious our supplications are before your eternal Father, when they are presented to Him in your name, and through your merits. I dedicate to you this little book; bless it, O Lord, and grant that all into whose hands it shall fall, may pray continually, and may exert themselves to stir up in others, the spirit of constant prayer, that they too, may avail themselves of that great means of salvation. To you, also, O Mary, great mother of God, I commend this little work: extend to it your protection, by obtaining for all who shall read it, the spirit of Prayer, the grace to have recourse always, and in all their necessities, to your Son, and to you, who are the dispenser of grace, and the mother of mercy,--to you, who know not how to leave in sorrow any of those who recommend themselves to your prayers,--to you, who are that powerful Virgin, who obtains from God, for her servants, whatever she asks.
Sponsored by St Athanasius Press
|