sh knows not
such pleasure. In Romans 14, 17, he speaks of "joy in the Holy
Spirit."

"Patient in tribulation."

44. Throughout the Gospel we are taught that Christians must endure
crosses and evil days. Hence the Gospel arms us with divine armor, and
that alone. That is, it teaches us, not how to avert temporal ills and
to enjoy peace, but how to endure and conquer these ills. We are not
to oppose and try to avert them, but patiently to endure them until
they wear themselves out upon us, and lose their power; as ocean
waves, dashing against the shore, recede and vanish of their own
accord. Not yielding, but perseverence, shall win here. But of this
topic we have treated during the Advent season.

"Continuing stedfastly in prayer."

45. Prayer has been sufficiently defined in the third epistle for
Advent. Paul does not allude to babbling out of prayer-books, nor to
bawling in the Church. You will never offer true prayer from a book.
To be sure, you may, by reading a prayer, learn how and what to pray,
and have your devotion enkindled; but real prayer must proceed
spontaneously from the heart, not in prescribed words; the language
must be dictated by the fervor of the soul. Paul particularly
specifies that we are to be "stedfast in prayer." In other words, we
should not become remiss, even though we do not immediately receive
what we ask. The chief thing in prayer is faith. Faith relies on God's
promise to hear its petition. It may not receive at once what it is
confident of receiving; but it waits, and though for a time there may
be indications of failure, yet the petition is granted. Christ gives
striking illustrations of such perseverence in the parable of the
wicked judge (Lk 18), and in that of the friend's importunity (Lk 11).
He everywhere teaches the necessity of faith in prayer. "Whatsoever ye
shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive," Mt 21, 22. And
again, "Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for
a loaf, will give him a stone?" Mt 7, 9.

"Communicating to the necessities of the saints."

46. The meaning of this injunction is shamefully perverted. In our
necessities we daily seek the assistance of saints. Hence the numerous
institutions, altars and services to these, everywhere in the world.
Paul's teaching, however, is that we are to "communicate to the
necessity of the saints." Since we ignore the sanctified ones of this
life who need our assistance, we are well rewarded