given himself wholly back to the Father, yet expresses himself ith a sovereign freedom by virtue of the power the Father has iven him over all flesh. The Son, who made himself Servant, is ord, the Pantocrator. Our high priest who prays for us is also the

ne who prays in us and the God who hears our prayer.

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By entering into the holy name of the Lord Jesus we cancept, from within, the prayer he teaches us: ‘Our Father!’ His riestly prayer fulfils, from within, the great petitions of the rd’s Prayer: concern for the Father’s name;47 passionate zeal for s Kingdom (glory);~8 the accomplishment of the will of the ther, of his plan of salvation;49 and deliverance from evil.50

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Finally, in this prayerJesus reveals and gives to us the ‘know— 240

~dge’, inseparably one, of the Father and of the Son,5’ which is the ~ry mystery of the life of prayer. I
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IN BRIEF

2752 Prayer presupposes an effort, afight against ourselves and the wiles of the Tempter. The battle of prayer is inseparable from the necessary ‘spiritual battle’ to act habitually according to the Spirit of Christ: we pray as we live, because we live as we pray.


2753 In the battle of prayer we must confront erroneous conceptions of prayer, various currents of thought and our own experience offailure. We must respond with humility, trust and perseverance to these temptations which cast doubt on the usefulness or even the possibility ofprayer.

2754 The principal difficulties in the practice of prayer are distraction and dryness. The remedy lies in faith, conversion, and vigilance of heart.

2755 Two frequent temptations threaten prayer: lack offaith, and acedia — L aform of depression stemming from lax ascetical practice that leads to discouragement.