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On Prayer

Chapter XVII.--Of Elevated Hands.

But we more commend our prayers to God when we pray with modesty and humility, with not even our hands too loftily elevated, but elevated temperately and becomingly; and not even our countenance over-boldly uplifted. For that publican who prayed with humility and dejection not merely in his supplication, but in his countenance too, went his way "more justified" than the shameless Pharisee. ¹ The sounds of our voice, likewise, should be subdued; else, if we are to be heard for our noise, how large windpipes should we need! But God is the hearer not of the voice, but of the heart, just as He is its inspector. The demon of the Pythian oracle says:

"And I do understand the mute, and plainly hear the speechless one." ²

Do the ears of God wait for sound? How, then, could Jonah's prayer find way out unto heaven from the depth of the whale's belly, through the entrails of so huge a beast; from the very abysses, through so huge a mass of sea? What superior advantage will they who pray too loudly gain, except that they annoy their neighbours? Nay, by making their petitions audible, what less error do they commit than if they were to pray in public? ³

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De Oratione

XVII.

[1] Atqui cum modestia et humilitate adorantes magis commendabimus Deo preces nostras, ne ipsis quidem manibus sublimius elatis, sed temperate ac probe elatis, ne uultu quidem in audaciam erecto. [2] Nam et ille publicanus, qui non tantum prece, sed et uultu humiliatus atque deiectus orabat, iustificatior pharisaeo procacissimo discessit. [3] Sono etiam uocis subiectos esse oportet, aut quantis arteriis opus est, si pro sono audiamur! Deus autem non uocis, sed cordis auditor est, sicut conspector. [4] Daemonium oraculi Pythii Et mutum, inquit, intelligo et non loquentem exaudio. Dei aures sonum expectant? Quomodo ergo oratio Ionae de imo uentre ceti per tantae bestiae uiscera ab ipsis abyssis per tantam aequoris molem ad caelum potuit euadere? [5] Quid amplius referent isti qui clarius adorant nisi quod proximis obstrepunt? Immo prodendo petitiones suas quid minus faciunt quam si in publico orent?