5. And lastly, it seems idle to try to stir up the benevolence of one who is beforehand with his benevolence. But God does forestall us with His benevolence, for _He hath first loved us_.[186] Consequently it seems superfluous to preface our petitions with the words _Our Father Who art in Heaven_, words which seem intended to stir up God's benevolence.
But we must remember that prayer is not directed to God in order to prevail upon Him, but in order to excite ourselves to confidence in our petitions. And this confidence is especially excited in us by consideration of His love towards us whereby He wishes us well, wherefore we say, _Our Father_; and of His pre-eminent power whereby He is able to assist us, whence we say, _Who art in Heaven_.
_Cajetan:_ The first three petitions of the _Lord's Prayer_ can also be referred to that which we principally desire, so that all three regard mainly that love wherewith we love God in Himself, and secondarily that love wherewith we love ourselves in God. And the proof of this is that in each of the first three we have the pronoun _Thine_, but in the last four the pronoun _our_. Thus the first petition asks for the effective and enduring praise of God's Name; the second, that He--and not the devil, nor the world, nor the flesh, nor sin--may reign effectively; the third, that His Will may be effectively fulfilled. For these things are not now absolutely so with God, and this by reason of the multitude of sins, and also because the mode of their present fulfilment is hidden. And the word _effectively_ is introduced into each clause by reason of the subjoined qualification _on earth as it is in Heaven_, for this qualifies each of the foregoing clauses. Hence rightly do our desires first of all aim at, wish for, and pray that--even as something good for God Himself--He may be sanctified in His Name; that He may be permanently uplifted above all things--on earth as in Heaven; that He--not sin--may reign--on earth as in Heaven; that His Will--none other--may be done--on earth as in Heaven (_on_ 2. 2. 83. 9).
_S. Augustine:_ O Eternal Truth, True Love and lovable Eternity! Thou art my God; for Thee do I sigh night and day! And when I first knew Thee Thou didst snatch me up so that I saw that That really was Which I saw, and that I who saw was really not--as yet. And Thou didst beat back my weak gaze, pouring out Thy light upon me in its intensity; and I trembled with love and with horror. For I found myself to be far away from Thee in a land that was unlike Thee; it was as though I heard Thy Voice from on high, saying: "I am the Food of grown men, grow, and thou shalt eat Me, but thou shalt not be changed into Me" (_Confessions_, VII. x. 2).