§1Euangelica praecepta, fratres dilectissimi, nihil sunt aliud quam magisteria diuina, fundamenta aedificandae spei, firmamenta conroborandae fidei, nutrimenta fouendi cordis, gubernacula dirigendi itineris, praesidia obtinendae salutis, quae dum docibiles credentium mentes in terris instruunt, ad caelestia regna perducunt.
Evangelical precepts, beloved brethren, are nothing other than divine teachings, foundations for building hope, supports for strengthening faith, nourishments for fostering the heart, rudders for directing the journey, safeguards for obtaining salvation; which, while they instruct the teachable minds of believers on earth, lead them to the heavenly kingdoms.
multa et per prophetas seruos suos dici Deus uoluit et audiri: sed quanto maiora sunt quae filius loquitur, quae Dei sermo qui in prophetis fuit propria uoce testatur non iam mandans ut paretur uenienti uia sed ipse ueniens et uiam nobis aperiens et ostendens, ut qui in tenebris mortis errantes inprouidi et caeci prius fuimus luce gratiae luminati iter uitae duce et rectore Domino teneremus. §2Qui inter cetera salutaria sua monita et praecepta diuina quibus populo suo consulit ad salutem etiam orandi ipse formam dedit, ipse quid precaremur monuit et instruxit.
God willed many things both to be spoken and to be heard through the prophets His servants; but how much greater are those things which the Son speaks, which the Word of God, who was in the prophets, testifies with His own voice, no longer commanding that a way be prepared for Him as He comes, but Himself coming and opening and showing the way to us, so that we who previously wandered in the darkness of death, unforeseen and blind, illuminated by the light of grace, might hold the way of life with the Lord as our leader and guide.\n He who, among His other salutary admonitions and divine precepts by which He consults for the salvation of His people, also Himself gave the form of praying, Himself advised and instructed what we should pray.
qui fecit uiuere docuit et orare, benignitate ea scilicet qua et cetera dare et conferre dignatus est, ut dum prece et oratione quam filius docuit aput patrem loquimur, facilius audiamur.
He who made us live taught us also to pray, by that kindness, namely, by which He deigned also to give and bestow other things, so that while we speak before the Father with the prayer and petition which the Son taught, we may be heard more easily.
iam praedixerat horam uenire, quando ueri adoratores adorarent patrem in spiritu et ueritate, et inpleuit quod ante promisit, ut qui spiritum et ueritatem de eius sanctificatione percepimus de traditione quoque eius uere et spiritaliter adoremus.
Already He had foretold that the hour was coming when true worshippers would worship the Father in spirit and truth, and He fulfilled what He promised before, so that we who have received the spirit and truth from His sanctification, may also truly and spiritually worship according to His tradition.
quae enim potest esse spiritalis oratio quam quae a Christo nobis data est, a quo nobis et Spiritus sanctus missus est, quae uera aput patrem precatio quam quae a filio qui est ueritas de eius ore prolata est? ut aliter orare quam docuit non ignorantia sola sit sed et culpa,; quando ipse posuerit et dixerit: reicitis mandatum Dei, ut traditionem uestram statuatis. §3Oremus itaque, fratres dilectissimi, sicut magister Deus docuit.
For what spiritual prayer can there be other than that which was given to us by Christ, by whom also the Holy Spirit was sent to us? What true petition before the Father other than that which was uttered from His mouth by the Son, who is the truth? So that to pray otherwise than He taught is not only ignorance but also a fault, since He Himself has laid down and said: "You reject the commandment of God, that you may establish your tradition."\n Let us pray therefore, beloved brethren, as God the teacher taught.
amica et familiaris oratio est Deum de suo rogare, ad aures eius ascendere Christi orationem.
It is a friendly and familiar prayer to ask God from His own, for the prayer of Christ to ascend to His ears.
agnoscat\'pater filii sui uerba, cum precem facimus: qui habitat intus in pectore ipse sit et in uoce, et cum ipsum habeamus aput patrem aduocatum pro peccatis nostris, quando peccatores pro delictis nostris petimus, aduocati nostri uerba promamus.
Let the Father recognize the words of His Son when we make our prayer; let Him who dwells within our breast be also in our voice, and since we have Him as an advocate before the Father for our sins, when we as sinners petition for our transgressions, let us put forth the words of our advocate.
nam cum dicat: quia quodcumque petierimus a patre in nomine eius dabit nobis, quanto efficacius impetramus quod petimus Christi nomine, si petamus ipsius oratione? §4Sit autem orantibus sermo et precatio cum disciplina quietem continens et pudorem.
For since He says: "Because whatever we ask of the Father in His name He will give us," how much more efficaciously do we obtain what we ask in Christ's name, if we ask with His own prayer?\n But let there be for those who pray a speech and petition containing quietness and modesty with discipline.
cogitemus nos sub conspectu Dei stare.
Let us think that we stand under the sight of God.
placendum est diuinis oculis et habitu corporis et modo uocis.
We must please the divine eyes both with the posture of the body and the tone of the voice.
nam ut inpudentis est clamoribus strepere, ita contra congruit uerecundo modestis precibus orare.
For as it is the part of an impudent person to make a noise with clamors, so on the contrary it is fitting for a modest person to pray with moderate petitions.
denique magisterio suo Dominus secrete orare nos praecepit, in abditis et semotis locis, in cubiculis ipsis, quod magis conuenit fidei, ut sciamus Deum ubique esse praesentem, audire omnes et uidere et maiestatis suae plenitudine in abdita quoque et occulta penetrare, sicut scriptum est: ego Deus adproximans et non Deus de longinquo.
Finally, by His teaching the Lord commanded us to pray secretly, in hidden and remote places, in our very bedrooms, which is more suitable to faith, so that we may know that God is everywhere present, hears and sees all, and by the fullness of His majesty penetrates also into hidden and secret places, as it is written: "I am a God at hand, and not a God afar off.
si absconditus fuerit homo in absconditis, ego ergo non uidebo eum? nonne caelum et terram ego inpleo? et iterum: in omni loco oculi Dei speculantur bonos et malos. et quando in unum cum fratribus conuenimus et sacrificia diuina cum Dei sacerdote celebramus, uerecundiae et disciplinae memores esse debemus, non passim uentilare preces nostras inconditis uocibus nec petitionem commendandam modeste Deo tumultuosa loquacitate iactare quia Deus non uocis sed cordis auditor est, nec admonendus est clamoribus qui cogitationes uidet probante Domino et dicente: quid cogitatis nequam in cordi bus uestris? et alio loco: et scient omnes ecclesiae quia ego sum scrutator renis et cordis.
If a man shall hide himself in secret places, shall I not then see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth?" And again: "In every place the eyes of God behold the good and the evil." And when we assemble together with the brethren, and celebrate divine sacrifices with the priest of God, we ought to be mindful of modesty and discipline, not to toss our prayers about everywhere with disorderly voices, nor to cast forth with tumultuous loquacity a petition which should be commended modestly to God, because God is the hearer of the heart, not of the voice, nor is He to be admonished with clamors who sees thoughts, as the Lord approves and says: "Why do you think evil in your hearts?" And in another place: "And all the churches shall know that I am the searcher of the reins and the heart."