He commanded to pray for enemies; again he teaches this even by his works: for when he had ascended the cross, he said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luc. 23.34). He himself teaches you to pray, when he himself is not destitute of the power to forgive. He commanded again that we should do good to those who hate us, and deserve well of those who slander us (Matth. 5.44): but he fulfilled this by the work itself: for he cast out demons from the Jews, by whom he was called demoniac, he heaped benefits upon those who persecuted him, he fed those who lay in wait for him, he led those who wanted to crucify him to the kingdom by the hand. Again he said to his disciples: “Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses” (Matth. 10.9), to incite them to poverty: this again he taught by works, when he spoke thus: “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matth. 8.20); not that he was in need, but that he might train men to follow this path. In this way he taught them to pray. They therefore said to him: “Teach us to pray” (Luc. 11.1). For this reason he also prays, that they too might learn to pray. But it was fitting for them to learn not only to pray, but also how they ought to pray; for this reason indeed he handed down to them the prayer in these words: “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation” (Ibid. v. 2-4), that is, into danger, into snares. A When therefore he commanded to pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” he teaches them that very thing by the deed itself, when he says, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matth. 26.39), while he teaches all the saints not to throw themselves into dangers, nor to act precipitately, but to await the assault of adversaries, and to display all fortitude; yet not so that they themselves rush out and expose themselves to evils first. Why so? So that he may teach humility, and deliver them from the charge of vainglory. For which reason also here, when he said these things, “He went away,” he says, “and prayed” (Matth. 26.39), and after he had prayed, he said thus to his disciples: “Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Ibid. v. 40, 41). B You see how he not only prays but also admonishes? “The spirit indeed is willing,” he says, “but the flesh is weak” (Ibid. v. 41). He said this, however, that he might drive all pride from their soul, that he might free them from haughtiness, render them humble, and make them modest. Therefore, what he wanted to teach them to pray, that he also prayed humanly, not according to his divinity (for the Godhead is void of all passion), but according to his humanity. Furthermore, to teach us to pray, he prayed, and [taught us] to always seek to be delivered from evils: but if that cannot be, to be content with what has seemed good to God. For this reason he said, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matth. 26.39). For his will was the will of the Father; but he spoke to teach men, although they are in anguish, although they tremble, although dangers threaten, although they do not want to be torn from this life, to prefer the will of God to their own will: which Paul learned to do, and performed both by his works: for he both prayed that temptations be removed from him, when he said, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice” (2 Cor. 12.8), and when they were not removed, he says, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in persecutions” (Ibid. v. 10). C Perhaps, however, what is said is not clear enough: therefore it will be rendered more clearly by us. Paul was besieged by many dangers, and he prayed that he would not be exposed to dangers. He heard Christ therefore saying: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (Ibid. v. 9). After he knew, therefore, what the will of God was, he then subsequently subjected his own will to the will of God. These two things, therefore, he taught through this prayer, that we should neither throw ourselves into dangers, but also that we should pray not to fall into them: but if they have invaded us, [we should] bear them patiently, and prefer the will of God to our own will. Since these things are explored by us, let us pray that we never enter into temptation: but if we should ever enter, let us beseech God that he grant us patience and fortitude, and that we prefer his will to all our own will. For so it will come to pass that we traverse the present life with security, and attain to future goods: of which may it be our lot to become partakers, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.