Petition 7: But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Today, we conclude our series of posts on St Thomas Aquinas' commentary on the Lord's Prayer. 

Lord, teach us how to pray... J-J Tissot.

I have included my own (fairly literal) English translation, together with a number of Scriptural references and notes.

The footnote references follow each section.

Petition 7: But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Articulus 7: Sed libera nos a malo. Amen

Above (it has been shown how) the Lord has taught us to pray for forgiveness of sins and how we can avoid temptations. Here, He teaches us to pray for preservation from evils; this is a general petition against all evils, such as sins, illnesses and afflictions (as St Augustine says). But we have already spoken of sin and temptation, so we need to speak about other evils, such as adversity and all the afflictions of this world. From these God preserves in a fourfold manner.

Supra docuit nos dominus petere veniam peccatorum, et quomodo possumus vitare tentationes: hic vero docet petere praeservationem a malis. Et haec petitio est generalis contra omnia mala; scilicet peccata, infirmitates et afflictiones, sicut dicit Augustinus. Sed quia de peccato et tentatione dictum est, dicendum est de aliis malis, scilicet adversitatibus et afflictionibus omnibus huius mundi; a quibus Deus liberat quadrupliciter.

Firstly, that affliction does not overtake us. But this occurs rarely, for the just in this world are afflicted: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.[1] But sometimes God grants to a man that he is not afflicted by an evil, when He knows he would not have the strength to resist it; just as a physician does not give powerful medicines to a weak invalid: “ Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength.”[2] In our Father’s home in heaven, this will be general , for there no-one will afflicted: “ In six troubles,”[3] namely of this present life, which is divided into six periods, “ he shall deliver thee, and in the seventh, evil shall not touch thee.” “They shall no more hunger nor thirst.”[4]

Primo ne superveniat afflictio. Sed hoc raro contingit: quoniam sancti in mundo isto affliguntur, quia, ut dicitur II Tim. III, 12: omnes qui pie volunt vivere in Christo Iesu, persecutionem patientur. Sed tamen alicui Deus concedit aliquando ut non affligatur a malo; quando scilicet cognoscit eum impotentem, et non posse resistere; sicut medicus infirmo debili non dat violentas medicinas. Apoc. III, 8: ecce dedi coram te ostium apertum, quod nemo potest claudere, quia modicam habes virtutem. In patria autem erit generale hoc, quia nullus affligetur ibi. Iob V, 19: in sex tribulationibus, scilicet praesentis vitae, quae per sex aetates distinguitur, liberabit te; et in septima non tanget te malum. Apoc. VII, 16: non esurient neque sitient amplius.

[1] And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. Et omnes, qui pie volunt vivere in Christo Jesu, persecutionem patientur. [II Tim. Iii. 12]

[2] I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Scio opera tua. Ecce dedi coram te ostium apertum, quod nemo potest claudere : quia modicam habes virtutem, et servasti verbum meum, et non negasti nomen meum. [Apoc. iii. 8]

[3] In six troubles he shall deliver thee, and in the seventh, evil shall not touch thee. In sex tribulationibus liberabit te, et in septima non tangent te malum. [Iob v. 19]

[4] They shall no more hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat. non esurient, neque sitient amplius, nec cadet super illos sol, neque ullus aestus : [Apoc. vii. 16]

Secondly, God delivers us whenever He consoles us in our afflictions; for unless God were to console us, man could not survive: “ We were pressed out of measure above our strength;[1] and, “But God, who comforteth the humble, comforted us;”[2] and “ According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul.”[3]

Secundo liberat quando in afflictionibus consolatur. Nam nisi Deus consolaretur, non posset homo subsistere. II Cor. I, 8: supra modum gravati sumus supra virtutem nostram; et ibid. VII, 6: sed qui consolatur humiles, consolatus est nos Deus. Psal. XCIII: secundum multitudinem dolorum meorum in corde meo consolationes tuae laetificaverunt animam meam.

[1] For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure above our strength, so that we were weary even of life. Non enim volumus ignorare vos, fratres, de tribulatione nostra, quae facta est in Asia, quoniam supra modum gravati sumus supra virtutem, ita ut taederet nos etiam vivere. [II Cor. i. 8]

[2] But God, who comforteth the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus. Sed qui consolatur humiles, consolatus est nos Deus in adventu Titi. [II Cor. vii. 6]

[3] According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul. Secundum multitudinem dolorum meorum in corde meo, consolationes tuae laetificaverunt animam meam. [Ps. xciii. 19]

Thirdly, He gives so many good things to those who are afflicted that these things carry away the evils into oblivion: “ After a storm thou makest a calm;”[1] thus the afflictions and the tribulations of this world are not to be feared because they may be easily tolerated, both on account of the consolation supplied and their brevity: “ For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.”[2] Through these man may come to life everlasting.

Tertio quia afflictis tot bona facit quot tradunt mala oblivioni. Tob. III, 22: post tempestatem tranquillum facis. Sic ergo afflictiones et tribulationes huius mundi non sunt timendae, quia facile tolerantur et propter consolationem admixtam, et propter brevitatem. Apostolus, II Cor. IV, 17: id quod in praesenti est momentaneum et leve tribulationis nostrae, supra modum in sublimitate aeternum gloriae pondus operatur in nobis: quia ex his pervenitur ad vitam aeternam.

[1] For thou art not delighted in our being lost: because after a storm thou makest a calm, and after tears and weeping thou pourest in joyfulness. Non enim delectaris in perditionibus nostris : quia post tempestatem tranquillum facis : et post lacrimationem et fletum, exultationem infundis. [Tob. iii. 22]

[2] For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory. Id enim, quod in praesenti est momentaneum et leve tribulationis nostrae, supra modum in sublimitate aeternum gloriae pondus operatur in nobis. [II Cor. iv. 17]

Fourthly, because temptations and tribulations are made conducive to good; and so the prayer does not say “deliver us from tribulation” but “from evil:” because tribulations are to the just a crown; whence they glory in their tribulations:”[1]

Quarto quia tentatio et tribulatio convertitur in bonum: et ideo non dicit, libera nos a tribulatione, sed a malo: quia tribulationes sunt sanctis ad coronam; et inde est quod gloriantur de tribulationibus. Apostolus, Rom. V, 3: non solum autem, sed et gloriamur in tribulationibus, scientes quod tribulatio patientiam operatur. Tob. III, 13: in tempore tribulationis peccata dimittis.

[1] And not only so; but we glory also in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; Non solum autem, sed et gloriamur in tribulationibus : scientes quod tribulatio patientiam operatur : [Rom. v. iii]

God , therefore, delivers man from evil and from tribulations, by converting them into his good; this is a sign of the greatest wisdom, for to divert evil into good is the act of someone who is wise; and this is accomplished through the patience which is given to someone in tribulations. Indeed, the other virtues are applied through good things, but patience is applied amid evil things, that is, in adversity it is necessary: “The learning of a man is known by patience.”[1]

Liberat ergo Deus hominem a malo et tribulationibus, eas in bonum convertendo; quod est signum maximae sapientiae, quia sapientis est malum ordinare in bonum; et hoc fit per patientiam, quae habetur in tribulationibus. Ceterae vero virtutes bonis utuntur, sed patientia malis; et ideo solum in malis, idest in adversitatibus, est necessaria: Prov. XIX, 11: doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur.

And so in this way does the Holy Spirit, through the gift of wisdom, make us to pray; and through this we arrive at that blessedness to which peace orders, for through patience we have peace both in time of prosperity and of adversity. For this reason the peacemakers are called the children of God, who are like unto God because, like God Whom nothing can harm, nothing can harm them, neither in prosperity nor adversity: “ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.”[2] 

Et ideo spiritus sanctus per donum sapientiae facit nos petere: et per hoc pervenimus ad beatitudinem ad quam ordinat pax, quia per patientiam pacem habemus et in tempore prospero et adverso: et ideo pacifici dicuntur filii Dei, qui sunt similes Deo, quia sicut Deo nihil nocere potest, ita nec eis, quia nec prospera nec adversa; et ideo beati pacifici, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur, Matth. V, 9.

Amen is the universal confirmation of all petitions in prayer.

Amen est confirmatio universalis omnium petitionum.

[1] The learning of a man is known by patience and his glory is to pass over wrongs. Doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur, et gloria ejus est iniqua praetergredi. [Prov. xix. 17]

[2] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God. Beati pacifici : quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur. [Matt. v. 9]

Pater noster: A short explanation of the whole prayer

Compendiosa expositio totius orationis pater noster

That it may be summed up, know that contained in the Lord’s Prayer are those things that should be desired and all those things that should be avoided. Now, among all those things that are desirable, it is that which is most loved which is most desired, and that is God.

Ut in summa exponatur, sciendum est, quod in oratione dominica continentur omnia quae desiderantur, et omnia quae fugiuntur. Inter omnia autem desiderabilia illud plus desideratur quod plus amatur, et hoc est Deus;

And so at the beginning, you seek the glory of God when you say: Hallowed be Thy name. Now from God there are three things to be desired that concern you. The first is that you may attain life everlasting, and you pray for this when you say: “Thy kingdom come.” The second is that you may do the will of God and His justice: you pray for this when you say: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The third is that you should have the necessaries of life; this you pray for when you say: “Give us this day our daily bread. Concerning these three things, the Lord says of the first: “ Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God;”[1] and of the second, “and his justice;” and of the third: “and all these things shall be added unto you.” 

 

et ideo primo petis gloriam Dei, cum dicis: sanctificetur nomen tuum. A Deo autem desideranda sunt tria, quae pertinent ad te. Primum est quod pervenias ad vitam aeternam; et hoc petis cum dicis: adveniat regnum tuum. Secundum est quod facias voluntatem Dei et iustitiam; et hoc petis cum dicis: fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo et in terra. Tertium est ut habeas necessaria ad vitam; et hoc petis cum dicis: panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Et de his tribus dicit dominus, Matth. VI, 33: primum quaerite regnum Dei, quantum ad primum; et iustitiam eius quantum ad secundum; et haec omnia adiicientur vobis, quantum ad tertium.

Now those things which are to avoided and shunned are those are opposed to the good. The good  is to be desired first above all else  and it is said to be fourfold: The first is the glory of God and no evil is contrary to this: “ If thou sin, what shalt thou hurt him? . . . And if thou do justly, what shalt thou give him?”[2] For whether it be in evil inasmuch as He punishes or in good inasmuch as He rewards, the glory of God results.

Illa autem quae vitanda sunt et fugienda, sunt illa quae contrariantur bono. Bonum autem quod primo desiderabile est, est quadruplex, ut dictum est. Et primum est gloria Dei, et huic nullum malum est contrarium. Iob XXXV, 6: si peccaveris, quid ei nocebis (...) si iuste egeris, quid donabis ei? Nam et de malo in quantum punit, et de bono inquantum remunerat, resultat gloria Dei.

The second good is eternal life and sin is contrary to this, because it is lost through sin; and so, to remove this evil, we say: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The third good is consists of justice and good works; to this is opposed temptation, because temptations hinder us from doing good and so, to remove this, we pray: “And lead us not into temptation.” The fourth good consist of the necessities of life; to this good are opposed adversities and tribulations; we seek to remove them by praying: “But deliver us from evil. Amen.”

Secundum bonum est vita aeterna; et huic contrariatur peccatum, quia per peccatum perditur: et ideo ad hoc removendum dicimus: dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Tertium bonum est iustitia et bona opera; et huic contrariatur tentatio, quia tentationes impediunt nos a bono operando: et ad hoc removendum petimus: et ne nos inducas in tentationem. Quartum bonum sunt bona necessaria; et huic contrariantur adversitates et tribulationes; et ad hoc removendum petimus: sed libera nos a malo. Amen.

[1] Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. Quaerite ergo primum regnum Dei, et justitiam ejus : et haec omnia adjicientur vobis. [Matt. vi. 33]

[2] If thou sin, what shalt thou hurt him? and if thy iniquities be multiplied, what shalt thou do against him? Si peccaveris, quid ei nocebis? et si multiplicatae fuerint iniquitates tuae, quid facies contra eum? And if thou do justly, what shalt thou give him, or what shall he receive of thy hand? Porro si juste egeris, quid donabis ei? aut quid de manu tua accipiet? [Iob xxxv. 6]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.