Which treats of other motives for prayer that many persons
use -- namely, a great variety of ceremonies.
THE useless joys and the imperfect attachment which many
persons have to the things which we have described are perhaps to
some extent excusable, since these persons act more or less
innocently with regard to them. But the great reliance which some
persons place in many kinds of ceremonies introduced by
uninstructed persons who lack the simplicity of faith is
intolerable. Let us here disregard those which bear various
extraordinary names or use terms that signify nothing, and also
other things that are not sacred which persons who are foolish and
gross and mistrustful in spirit are wont to interpolate in their
prayers. For these are clearly evil, and involve sin, and many of
them imply a secret compact with the devil; by such means these
persons provoke God to wrath and not to mercy, wherefore I treat
them not here.
2. I wish to speak solely of those ceremonies into which
enters nothing of a suspicious nature, and of which many people
make use nowadays with indiscreet devotion, attributing such
efficacy and faith to these ways and manners wherein they desire
to perform their devotions and prayers, that they believe that, if
they fail to the very slightest extent in them, or go beyond their
limits, God will not be served by them nor will He hear them. They
place more reliance upon these methods and kinds of ceremony than
upon the reality of their prayer, and herein they greatly offend
and displease God. I refer, for example, to a Mass at which there
must be so many candles, neither more nor fewer; which has to be
said by the priest in such or such a way; and must be at such or
such an hour, and neither sooner nor later; and must be after a
certain day, neither sooner nor later; and the prayers and
stations must be made at such and such times, with such or such
ceremonies, and neither sooner nor later nor in any other manner;
and the person who makes them must have such or such qualities or
qualifications. And there are those who think that, if any of
these details which they have laid down be wanting, nothing is
accomplished.
3. And, what is worse, and indeed intolerable, is that
certain persons desire to feel some effect in themselves, or to
have their petitions fulfilled, or to know that the purpose of
these ceremonious prayers of theirs will be accomplished. This is
nothing less than to tempt God and to anger Him greatly, so much
so that He sometimes gives leave to the devil to deceive them,
making them feel and understand things that are far removed from
the benefit of their soul, which they deserve because of the
attachment that they show in their prayers, not desiring God's
will, rather than their own desires, to be done therein; and thus,
because they place not their whole confidence in God, nothing goes
well with them.[681]