“Any day a man gains more by devout prayer than the whole world is worth” (St Bonaventure).
This wonderful phrase should penetrate deeply into our hearts and enlighten our minds, for it clearly shows us the true hierarchy of values. Devout prayer, uttered in the Spirit of the Lord, which embraces our whole existence, traverses heaven and earth and reaches the Heart of our Father.
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
