Prayer is the one thing that can conquer God. But Christ has willed that it should work no evil, and has given it all power over good.
Its only art is to call back the souls of the dead from the very journey into death, to give strength to the weak, to heal the sick, to exorcise the possessed, to open prison cells, to free the innocent from their chains.
Prayer cleanses from sin, drives away temptations, stamps out persecutions, comforts the fainthearted, gives new strength to the courageous, brings travellers safely home, calms the waves, confounds robbers, feeds the poor, overrules the rich, lifts up the fallen, supports those who are falling, sustains those who stand firm.
All the angels pray. Every creature prays. Cattle and wild beasts pray and bend the knee. As they come from their barns and caves they look out to heaven and call out, lifting up their spirit in their own fashion. The birds too rise and lift themselves up to heaven: they open out their wings, instead of hands, in the form of a cross, and give voice to what seems to be a prayer.
What more need be said on the duty of prayer? Even the Lord himself prayed. To him be honour and power for ever and ever. Amen.
--On Prayer by Tertullian, priest
唯有祈禱能得勝天主。可是基督不願意祈禱加害於人，他賦與祈禱的一切能力，都是為人的好處。
因此，祈禱只知道把亡者的靈魂從死亡的途徑中領回來，堅強殘弱的人，醫治患病的人，拯救附魔的人，打開監獄，解開無罪者的桎梏。
同樣，我們的祈禱也可以滌除罪汙，抗拒誘惑，粉碎迫害，安慰憂慮者，鼓勵慷慨者，領導旅客，平靜風浪，哧退強盜；供給貧者食物，統治富者，扶起失足者，支持要跌倒者，堅定站立者。
眾天使也在祈禱，眾受造物都在祈禱。家畜野獸在祈禱，它們屈著膝祈禱。當它們由畜舍或洞穴走出時，仰視蒼天，張口呼叫，以它們自己的方式舉心向上。至於鳥類，展翅飛向天空，有如我們伸開雙臂，做十字架形，口作喃喃語，就像祈求什麼似的。
所以，關於祈禱的義務，我們還要多說什麼呢？主基督自己也曾祈禱。願光榮與德能永歸基督，萬世無窮！
--戴都良神父《論祈禱》
Sola est orátio, quæ Deum vincit; sed Christus eam nihil mali vóluit operári, omnem illi virtútem de bono cóntulit.
Itaque nihil novit, nisi defunctórum ánimas de ipso mortis itínere revocáre, débiles reformáre, ægros remediáre, dæmoníacos expiáre, claustra cárceris aperíre, víncula innocéntium sólvere. Eadem díluit delícta, tentatiónes repéllit, persecutiónes exstínguit, pusillánimos consolátur, magnánimos obléctat, peregrinántes dedúcit, fluctus mítigat, latrónes obstupefácit, alit páuperes, regit dívites, lapsos érigit, cadéntes suspéndit, stantes cóntinet.
Orant étiam ángeli omnes, orat omnis creatúra, orant pécudes et feræ, et génua declínant et egrediéntes de stábulis ac spelúncis ad cælum non otióso ore suspíciunt, vibrántes spíritum suo more. Sed et aves tunc exsurgéntes erigúntur ad cælum et alárum crucem pro mánibus expándunt et dicunt áliquid quod orátio videátur.
Quid ergo ámplius de offício oratiónis? Etiam ipse Dóminus orávit, cui sit honor et virtus in sǽcula sæculórum.
Tertullian: Only prayer can conquer God
