Prayer

[Augustine3]

I’ve been told certain prayers are answered only when you are in the state of grace. What kind of prayers would they be?

God bless,

 

[ClayPots47]

My understanding is that you can not benefit from the merits of prayer, if you are in a state of mortal sin, But once you have confessed and been absolved, you would then receive the merits of those prayers. I would guess that prayers requesting certain spiritual favors would not be answered until in a state of grace, because you can not utilize those favors while in state of grave sin.

 

[Augustine3]

That’s what I thought…

The Israelites’ prayers for temporal well being were answered, so I guess prayers for entrance into God’s kingdom will only be answered once you’re in the state of grace since the state of grace has everything to do with the merits of Jesus Christ that was not available to the Jews during their time.

Anybody agree/disagree?

God bless,

 

[TimothyH]

We are all sinners. For me, things start to go down hill about fifteen minutes after I do pennance. If I only prayed when I was in a state of perfect grace, I’d have uttered one prayer back in 1963 on the day of my baptism and that would be it.

There is danger here for new Christians who may stick their head into this thread and give a quick read, glossing over the details. Please don’t think that prayer should stop if we are not in a state of perfect grace. The devil desires that.

Psalm 51 comes to mind where David prayed to be restored to a state of grace and in the same prayer asked God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. If anything, I pray more when I’m in a state of mortal sin. I ask for what I need anyway, and not just for a restoration to a state of grace. This is just my opinion but I think since God is outside of time, whether I ask for something ten minutes before confession or ten minutes after is relative only to me. God understands and knows we are weak.

Keep in mind that this is only for the committed Christian who has exhibited a track record of faithfullness (the fullness of faith), AKA the faithful servant. One can’t expect to commit adultery or murder and then ask for a new Corvette. That aint gonna happen.

No dogma here. Just my thoughts.

-Tim-

 

[ESMDHokie77]

You have to pray, whatever your situation. Just like you need to eat food to nourish your body, pray and ask God to nourish our Soul.

 

[ClayPots47]

There is danger here for new Christians who may stick their head into this thread and give a quick read, glossing over the details. Please don’t think that prayer should stop if we are not in a state of perfect grace. The devil desires that.

Prayer definitely should not stop. It would be spiritually dangerous to think, “Why bother? I won’t receive any merits or graces anyway.” And that indeed is the evil one speaking. One must have hope in God’s mercy, and pray until they are reconciled to God, and then they will receive all of the graces and merits of those prayers. You don’t stop earning the graces and merits, and you can accumulate many from the time you commit mortal sin, to the time you submit it to the keys of the confessional. One of the great feelings the penitent experiences, following confession, is the reception of all those graces and merits that they earned by their prayers. So, not only are you forgiven by God, you then receive the merits and graces you would have received from your prayers had you been in a state of grace.

Say you committed a grave sin on a Wednesday. Because it was a mortal sin, your relationship with God was wounded, and you need to get to confession to fix it. You are truly sorry for what you’ve done, and you arrange to confess it on Saturday. You do not alter your prayer schedule; you continue your daily rosary, litanies, scripture reading, meditation, etc. You even add the Penitential Psalms and beg God’s forgiveness. All the merits and graces you would earn, are stored up for you in Heaven, because you cannot benefit from them until you confess your mortal sin. On Saturday, you finally confess your sin in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. At the moment you are absolved, and your sins forgiven; those graces and merits are now given to you.

Those graces and merits can then strengthen you and help you to avoid sin in the future. God is so good, that as undeserving though we may be, in a state of mortal sin; He still gives us the merits and graces we earned from our prayers and works, when we repent and confess our sins. So, it would be meritorious in itself, to pray and trust in God’s Mercy, while in a state of mortal sin; so that we may later reap the benefits of such when reconciled to Him. Pray without ceasing, trust in God’s Mercy!

 

[Augustine3]

One of the great feelings the penitent experiences, following confession, is the reception of all those graces and merits that they earned by their prayers. So, not only are you forgiven by God, you then receive the merits and graces you would have received from your prayers had you been in a state of grace.

I’m just curious is this teaching supported by the bible or church father writings?

God bless,

 

[ClayPots47]

I’m just curious is this teaching supported by the bible or church father writings?

God bless,

Possibly both. But I am not able to cite particular scripture passages, nor can I cite specific writing of any church fathers, but I do know it is church teaching. The following quote is taken from Confession Its Fruitful Practice By the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, and published by by TAN Books & Publishers. From Chapter 1The Blessings of Confession: “It restores past merits, which are lost by even a single mortal sin. It renders the soul capable again of performing acts meritorious of an eternal reward, which is impossible while it is in the state of mortal sin. It confers sacramental graces, that is, powerful supernatural helps to avoid sin in the future, and to persevere in the service of God. It gives a claim to the special graces the soul needs in order to lead a God-pleasing life.” This is accepted teaching that I have seen in many books and documents.