to the brute creation, but is peculiar
to rational creatures.

Some, however, argue that prayer cannot be peculiar to rational
creatures, thus:

1. To ask and to receive belong to the same person. But the Divine
Persons receive: the Son, namely, and the Holy Spirit. Consequently They
can also pray; indeed it is the Son Himself Who says, _I will ask the
Father_,[189] and the Apostle says of the Holy Spirit, _The Spirit
Himself asketh for us_.[190]

But it belongs to the Divine Persons to receive by Their nature,
whereas to pray belongs to one who receives through grace. The
Son is said to ask or pray according to the nature He took upon
Himself--that is according to His Human, and not according to
His Divine, Nature; the Holy Spirit, too, is said to petition
because He makes us petition.

2. But further, the Angels are superior to the rational creation since
they are intellectual substances; but it belongs to the Angels to pray,
for it is said in the Psalm[191]: _Adore Him, all ye His Angels_.

But the intellect and the reason are not different faculties in
us, though they do differ in the sense that one is more perfect
than the other. Consequently the intellectual creation, such as
are the Angels, is sometimes distinguished from the rational
creation, but at other times both are embraced under the one
term "rational." And it is in this latter sense of the term
"rational" that prayer is said to be peculiar to the rational
creation.

3. Lastly, he prays who calls upon God; for it is chiefly by prayer that
we call upon God. But the brute animals also call upon God, for the
Psalmist says: _Who giveth to beasts their food, and to the young ravens
that call upon Him._[192]

But the young ravens are said to call upon God by reason of
those natural desires by which all things, each in their own
fashion, desire to obtain the Divine goodness. In the same way
brute animals are said to obey God by reason of the natural
instinct by which they are moved by God.

"Reward them that patiently wait for Thee, that Thy Prophets may
be found faithful: and hear the prayers of Thy servants.
According to the blessing of Aaron over Thy people, and direct
us into the way of justice, and let all know that dwell upon the
earth, that Thou art God the beholder of all ages."[193]

XI

Do the Saints in Heaven Pray for Us?

_This is he who