Christian Art | Prayer With Jesus Christ
Office Of Readings | Week 11, Sunday, Ordinary Time | A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Cyprian On The Lord’s Prayer | Let Prayer Be Made By A Humble Heart
‘Let your prayer come from a humble heart.’
Saint Cyprian Of Carthage
Saint Cyprian’s reflections on prayer provide a timely reminder of the essential posture a Christian must adopt when approaching God: one of humility, modesty and inward sincerity. He addresses not only the physical form of prayer but the disposition of the heart, drawing together scripture and practice in a coherent and edifying whole.
Biblical And Patristic Foundations
Cyprian grounds his teaching in the words and example of Christ, who instructs his followers to pray in secret and with sincerity. Referencing Jeremiah, he underlines the omnipresence of God: there is no corner of the earth hidden from his gaze. In this, Cyprian joins the long line of Fathers who emphasised the continuity of biblical teaching on divine omniscience and the integrity of inner worship. The example of Anna (1 Samuel 1:13) is particularly resonant: her quiet but faithful prayer, though unheard by human ears, is heard and answered by God.
The contrast between the tax-collector and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9–14) serves as a sharp illustration. The tax-collector, aware of his unworthiness, approaches God with humility, in contrast to the Pharisee’s self-righteousness. Cyprian urges the Christian reader to emulate this spirit of repentance, suggesting that no one is innocent in themselves and that forgiveness flows to those who acknowledge their need for mercy.
Liturgical And Personal Application
For Cyprian, there is a seamless unity between private and public prayer. The restraint and reverence he commends in the personal chamber are equally expected in the liturgical assembly. Here is a vision of the Church not as a noisy or showy body, but as one united in modest petition, aware of God’s holiness and attentive to the purity of intention.
The phrase, ‘God hears our heart not our voice,’ encapsulates a theology of prayer deeply rooted in interiority. This anticipates later mystical traditions within the Church that prioritise the inner dialogue between the soul and God. Cyprian reminds us that it is not verbosity or external display that moves the divine will, but the ‘heart’s desire’ shaped by faith and humility.
Contemporary Spiritual Reflection | Jesus In The World Today
In an age often dominated by noise, distraction and performative spirituality, Saint Cyprian’s exhortation to modest, interior prayer is a necessary corrective. His emphasis on humility is counter-cultural, challenging the modern assumption that self-assertion is the path to success, even in religious life.
Moreover, his insights offer a foundation for a deeper understanding of the spiritual life. True prayer, he insists, is not mere speech but a lifting of the heart to God, a recognition of our dependence, and an opening of ourselves to divine grace. In a world often concerned with appearances, Cyprian invites us to rediscover the value of silent, hidden prayer and the strength that comes from acknowledging our need for mercy.
His teaching, drawn from scripture, tradition and pastoral insight, remains a powerful guide for the faithful today: we are to seek the Lord not in boastful words but in contrite hearts, trusting in his mercy and ever mindful that he ‘searches the heart and the desires’.
A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Cyprian On The Lord’s Prayer | Let Prayer Be Made By A Humble Heart
When we pray, our words should be calm, modest and disciplined. Let us reflect that we are standing before God. We should please him both by our bodily posture and the manner of our speech. It is characteristic of the vulgar to shout and make a noise, not those who are modest. On the contrary, they should employ a quiet tone in their prayer.
Moreover, in the course of his teaching, the Lord instructed us to pray in secret. Hidden and secluded places, even our own rooms, give witness to our belief that God is present everywhere; that he sees and hears all; that in the fullness of his majesty, he penetrates hidden and secret places. This is the teaching of Jeremiah: Am I God when I am near, and not God when I am far away? Can anyone hide in a dark corner without my seeing him? Do I not fill heaven and earth? Another passage of Scripture says: The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing both good and wicked men.
The same modesty and discipline should characterize our liturgical prayer as well. When we gather to celebrate the divine mysteries with ‘God’s priest, we should not express our prayer in unruly words; the petition that should be made to God with moderation is not to be shouted out noisily and verbosely. For God hears our heart not our voice. He sees our thoughts; he is not to be shouted at. The Lord showed us this when he asked: Why do you think evil in your hearts? The book of Revelation testifies to this also: And all the churches shall know that I am the one who searches the heart and the desires.
Anna maintained this rule; in her observance of it she is an image of the Church. In the First Book of Kings we are told that she prayed quietly and modestly to God in the recesses of her heart. Her prayer was secret but her faith was evident. She did not pray with her voice, but with her heart, for she knew that in this way the Lord would hear her. She prayed with faith and obtained what she sought. Scripture makes this clear in the words: She was speaking in her heart; her lips were moving but her voice could not be heard; and the Lord heard her prayer. The psalmist also reminds us: Commune within your own hearts, and in the privacy of your room express your remorse. This is the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Through Jeremiah he suggests this: Say in your hearts: Lord, it is you that we have to worship.
My friends, anyone who worships should remember the way in which the tax-collector prayed in the temple alongside the Pharisee. He did not raise his eyes immodestly to heaven or lift up his hands arrogantly. Instead he struck his breast and confessing the sins hidden within his heart he implored the assistance of God’s mercy. While the Pharisee was pleased with himself, the tax-collector deserved to be cleansed much more because of the manner in which he prayed. For he did not place his hope of salvation in the certainty of his own innocence; indeed, no one is innocent. Rather he prayed humbly, confessing his sins. And the Lord who forgives the lowly heard his prayer.
Prayer With Jesus
Lord God, You see what is hidden and know the secrets of every heart. Teach us to pray with humility and sincerity, Following the example of your saints. When we are tempted to pride, remind us of the tax-collector, When we grow anxious or ashamed, remind us of Anna. Help us to seek you not with many words, But with a heart contrite and open to your grace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Glossary Of Christian Terms
- Cyprian of Carthage: A 3rd-century bishop and martyr, known for his writings on the Church and Christian discipline.
- Anna (1 Samuel 1:13): A devout woman of the Old Testament who prayed for a child; her silent prayer was heard and answered by God.
- Tax-collector and Pharisee: A parable told by Jesus highlighting the contrast between pride and humility in prayer (Luke 18:9–14).
- Liturgical prayer: The public, communal worship of the Church, especially the Mass and the Divine Office.
- Interior prayer: Silent, meditative prayer focusing on the presence of God in the heart.
- Contrite: Feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.
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Christian Art | Parousia | Second Coming | Lamb Of God, You Take Away The Sins Of The World Luke 17: 26-37 (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word) Early Christian thought about the Parousia – the second coming – was largely influenced by the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Saint Paul. In the early Christian community, expectation of Christ’s return was strong, and many Christians believed that it would happen in their lifetime. This belief is evident in the New Testament, where the authors express a sense of urgency in their writings and encourage their readers to be prepared for Christ’s imminent return. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the idea of the Parousia became more complex and nuanced. Theological debates arose around the nature of Christ’s return and the events that would precede it. Some theologians, such as Origen and Augustine, saw the Parousia as a spiritual event that was already happening in the Church. Others, such as the Montanists and the millenarians, believed in a literal, physical return of Christ and the establishment of a new, earthly Kingdom. In the Middle Ages, the Parousia was often associated with apocalypticism and the idea of a final, cataclysmic battle between good and evil – the last battle. The idea of the Antichrist, who would precede Christ’s return, became a popular theme in Christian literature, and the book of Revelation (Apocalypse – meaning to reveal, to uncover) was interpreted as a prophetic guide to the end of the world. Biblical Basis For The Parousia | The Second Coming The concept of the Parousia, or the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, is central to Christian eschatology and is supported by numerous biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, there are numerous passages that refer to the coming of a Messiah who will restore Israel and bring about the final judgment. For example, in Daniel 7:13-14, it is written: ‘I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.’ This passage describes a divine figure who comes in the clouds and is given dominion over all nations. In the New Testament, the Parousia is described in greater detail, particularly in the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Saint Paul. Jesus speaks of his return in many passages, including Matthew 24:30-31, where Jesus says: ‘And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’ Here, Jesus describes his return in power and glory, accompanied by angels who gather Jesus’ elect from all over the world. In Saint Paul’s letters, the Parousia is also described in detail. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Saint Paul writes: ‘For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’ This passage describes a resurrection of the dead and the gathering of believers to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. The language and imagery used to describe the Parousia are often dramatic and apocalyptic in nature. The Parousia is often described as a time of judgment, when the righteous will be separated from the wicked, and God’s justice will be fully revealed. The imagery of clouds, trumpets, and angels is used to depict the power and glory of Christ’s return. Theological Interpretations Of The Parousia | Jesus’ Second Coming The concept of the Parousia has been interpreted in a variety of ways throughout Christian history. Dispensationalism Dispensationalism is a theological framework that emerged in the 19th Century and has since become popular among some evangelical and fundamentalist Christians. Dispensationalists believe that history is divided into distinct periods or ‘dispensations’, each of which is marked by a particular mode of divine revelation and a specific plan of salvation. According to dispensationalist theology, the Parousia will be preceded by a period of tribulation, during which the Antichrist will establish a one-world government and the Jews will be restored to their homeland. The Parousia itself will involve a physical, visible return of Christ, who will establish a thousand-year reign on earth before the final judgment. Preterism Preterism is a theological interpretation of the Parousia that holds that many of the prophecies in the New Testament, particularly those in the book of Revelation, were fulfilled in the first century AD. According to this view, the Parousia occurred in a spiritual sense when Christ ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower the Church. Preterists argue that the tribulation and other end-time events predicted in the New Testament were fulfilled in the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. Postmillennialism Postmillennialism is a theological view that holds that the Parousia will occur after a period of history in which the Church will gradually bring about the kingdom of God on earth. According to this view, the Church will spread the gospel throughout the world, and social, political, and economic conditions will gradually improve. Eventually, Christ will return to a world that has been largely transformed by the Gospel. Amillennialism […]
