t, and the nearest to the will; and consequently after devotion
which belongs to the will, prayer which belongs to the intellective
part is the chief of the acts of religion, since by it religion
directs man's intellect to God.

Reply Obj. 2: It is a matter of precept not only that we should ask
for what we desire, but also that we should desire aright. But to
desire comes under a precept of charity, whereas to ask comes under a
precept of religion, which precept is expressed in Matt. 7:7, where
it is said: "Ask and ye shall receive" [*Vulg.: 'Ask and it shall be
given you.'].

Reply Obj. 3: By praying man surrenders his mind to God, since he
subjects it to Him with reverence and, so to speak, presents it to
Him, as appears from the words of Dionysius quoted above (A. 1, Obj.
2). Wherefore just as the human mind excels exterior things, whether
bodily members, or those external things that are employed for God's
service, so too, prayer surpasses other acts of religion.
_______________________

FOURTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 83, Art. 4]

Whether We Ought to Pray to God Alone?

Objection 1: It would seem that we ought to pray to God alone. Prayer
is an act of religion, as stated above (A. 3). But God alone is to be
worshiped by religion. Therefore we should pray to God alone.

Obj. 2: Further, it is useless to pray to one who is ignorant of the
prayer. But it belongs to God alone to know one's prayer, both
because frequently prayer is uttered by an interior act which God
alone knows, rather than by words, according to the saying of the
Apostle (1 Cor. 14:15), "I will pray with the spirit, I will pray
also with the understanding": and again because, as Augustine says
(De Cura pro mortuis xiii) the "dead, even the saints, know not what
the living, even their own children, are doing." Therefore we ought
to pray to God alone.

Obj. 3: Further, if we pray to any of the saints, this is only
because they are united to God. Now some yet living in this world, or
even some who are in Purgatory, are closely united to God by grace,
and yet we do not pray to them. Therefore neither should we pray to
the saints who are in Paradise.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Job 5:1), "Call . . . if there be
any that will answer thee, and turn to some of the saints."

_I answer that,_ Prayer is offered to a person in two ways: first, as
to be fulfilled by him, secondly, as to be obtained through him. In
the first way we offer prayer to Go