The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. John
Again, to ask in the name of Christ, is to ask those things which He wishes and desires to be given us, those namely which concern the salvation of the soul. Hence such a prayer is effectual, and is heard by God. And so too the prayers which many use, “ O Lord, give me that which my Lord Christ desires to be in me, which He wishes to be given me, for which He prayed when dying on the Cross, and entreated should be given me : again, what the Blessed Virgin wishes for me, and asks for me, for she greatly longs for my salvation, and knows better than myself what is best for me.” This is a pious meaning of the words, but the fourth is more literal, and to the point.
He will give it you. But you will say, ‘We find that many ask of God, and obtain not ; how then can this be said ? ' I answer, The reason they obtain not, is because they ask not the things which they ought, nor in the way they ought. As S. James says (iv. 3). For many affirmative propositions in Scripture require certain conditions. And prayer requires: (1.) Humility and reverence , and therefore he who has it not, but prays proudly and presumptuously , like the Pharisee, gains nothing. (2.) It requires contrition for sin, so that he who prays may be, or may heartily wish to be, a friend of God. Sinners therefore, wilfully persisting in sin, are not heard by God. Dost thou wish God to hear thee ? Do thou first obey His will, and so God will do thy will, and fulfil thy desires. See Isa. i. 15. (3.) It requires great faith and confidence that we shall obtain what we ask for through the merits of Christ. This confidence many have not, and therefore they obtain not (James i. 6). Hence S. Basil ( Constit. Monast. cap. ii.) assigns the reason for our not being heard, “ Thou hast not asked rightly, for thou askedst either with doubting, or when engaged on something else.” (4.) It requires perseverance (see Luke xi. 7 and 8). S. Augustine (Tract lxxiii.) rightly observes, “God occasionally refuses what we ask for, because this is more expedient for our salvation and His glory : God therefore hears us, not according to our wishes, but as it is best for our salvation. And thus He hearkened not to S. Paul when he prayed to be delivered from the thorn in the flesh, because it was more profitable to him, to humble him, and that he might continually struggle with and overcome it.” See 2 Cor. xii. 9.
Give it you. Hence S. Augustine (in loc.) thinks that the result of prayer is promised only when we pray for ourselves, but not when we pray for others ; for, says he, “ The Saints are heard for themselves, not for all. For it is said, ‘ I will give it you.’” But S. Basil (Reg. , 261), Toletus, and others, more correctly, and in a more liberal sense, think that the promise holds good, whether we pray for ourselves or for others. For God gives us that which He gives to others for whom we pray. When we pray, He gives us the fruit of our prayer. And this more accords with the very bountiful beneficence of God. Besides, to pray for others, is a work of greater charity, especially if we pray for our enemies. And such a prayer as this is wont to be heard, as Christ was heard in behalf of His crucifiers, and S. Stephen when praying for Saul. S. Gregory (Hom. xxvii.) gives the reason : “The virtue,” he says, “of true prayer is the very sublimest charity. And a man obtains that which he rightly asks for, when his mind is not darkened when he prays, even by hatred of his enemy. But we often overcome the reluctance of our mind to pray, when we pray for our enemies.”
Moreover, when occasionally we are not heard when we pray for others, it is either our own fault, or the fault of them for whom we pray, who by their sloth or evil disposition render themselves unworthy of the grace of God, and at times rail against Him, and despise His call.
There is an instance in the Lives of the Fathers. A certain man tempted with the spirit of lust, asked the prayers of a holy anchoret, that he might obtain deliverance. He prayed again and again, but to no purpose. When he wondered at this, God replied, He does not deserve to be heard, because by lazily cherishing obscene thoughts and trifling with them, he is the cause of his own temptation. The anchoret told him this, and then, moved with compunction, the man gave himself to prayer, watching and fasting, and obtained deliverance from his temptation. Those who are tempted should therefore co-operate with those who are praying for them, in order that they may be heard. Just as a sick man should co-operate with his physician, in order to his cure. But if he refuses to do so, all the labour of the physician is useless.
Ver. 24. — Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name . Because ye have trusted in My presence, have asked all things of Me in person, and I have gained them from My Father. But now, as I am about to leave you, I refer you to My Father, that ye may obtain from him all that ye require, through the intervention of My Name. For though the Apostles cast out devils, &c., in Christ’s Name, yet they did so by asking help from Him who was present with them.
Ask, and ye shall receive . Because I have obtained this from the Father by My merits. Be not sorrowful at My departure, for He will give you greater things than I have ever given, if invoked in My Name. So Euthymius, Maldonatus, &c.
That your joy may be full, (1.) S. Augustine (in loc.) explains thus, “ Ask of God to comfort you in My absence, and to confer on you fulness of joy in eternal happiness.” (2.) S. Cyril. If ye ask of God, He will give you the fulness of joy, namely, remission of sins and plenteous grace. (3.) The word “that” signifies the effect and result of your prayers. Ye will rejoice at My Resurrection, but in order to perfect your joy, ask of the Father in My Name all the graces ye need, so that by obtaining them from the Father ye may have fulness of joy, and wish for nothing more in this life. So Ribera, Toletus, Jansenius, and others. This is the true meaning.
Ver. 25. — These things have I spoken to you in proverbs ; but the time cometh when I shall no longer speak unto you in proverbs , but shall show you plainly of the Father . I said (Preface to Prov.) that a proverb, parable, and adage often meant the same thing, viz., some occult, obscure, and mysterious saying, though it does not contain a parable. This is the meaning here. What I have said about “a little while,” “the Holy Spirit,” “My departure to the Father,” “ your joy,” &c., seems to you now obscure and enigmatical. But you will soon have full experience of them, both by My own teaching in the forty days, when I shall make known to you the meaning of Holy Scripture (Acts i. 3), and more fully by the Holy Spirit, whom I will send to you at Pentecost, to teach you clearly and distinctly the mysteries of the faith, and to inflame you with the love of them. So S. Augustine, Bede, Maldonatus, and others. S. Gregory ( Moral. xxx. 5) refers this promise to the state of blessedness in heaven, for there it will be most abundantly fulfilled, when we shall see God face to face.
Ver. 26. — In that day ye shall ask in My Name ; and I say not unto you that I shall pray the Father for you . I said (xiv. 16), “ I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.” But now there will be no need of My praying, for I shall soon send the Holy Spirit, who will teach you to pray to God in My Name with such great earnestness, that the Father will grant you all things at your prayer, and therefore ye will not then need such prayers as I offered to God when present with you. Hence some Fathers think that Christ does not pray for us in Heaven with prayers, properly so called, but merely by presenting His wounds to the Father. (See Vasquez, par. iii., tome 1, Quæst. 21). But it is more probable that Christ does pray for us in heaven with prayers properly so called, as I have explained in Rom. viii. 34. Christ means that His earthly presence was not needed in order to pray for them as He used to do.
Ver. 27. — For the Father Himself loveth you , because ye have loved Me. He first loveth us, in calling and urging us sinners to repentance and love of Him. And we then begin to love Him, and He then pours into us charity and justifying grace, making us His sons and friends. Hence it is clear that charity is the bond between God and man, for it causes us to love God, and God in turn to love us, as a friend loves a friend and is loved by him in return.
And have believed that I came forth from God: that is, that I am the Son of God, sent by Him into the world for your and others’ salvation. But you will say : “ If God loves us, why does not He give of His own accord those things He knows we need, but wishes to be asked ?” (1.) Because the reverend Majesty of God demands of us that we should reverence Him by our prayers, and testify that we need His bounty, and that no one can relieve our wants but Himself. We owe to Him the tribute of our prayers.
(2.) The state of man requires us to acknowledge that we depend on Him, are fostered and protected by Him, and that in all things we need His aid and bounty. “ Nay, let him openly confess,” says S. Augustine, “that he is God’s mendicant. Let him humble himself before Him, and with bended neck beg from Him what he needs.”