ACC ~ James 5 v16b

THE LORD’S EXAMPLE. AUGUSTINE: The Lord himself sets an example for us in this also. For if he who neither has, nor had, nor will have any sin prays for our sins, how much more ought we to pray for each other’s sins! And if he for whom we have nothing to forgive forgives us, how much more should we forgive one another, knowing that we cannot live on earth without sinning! TRACTATES 58.2.

PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. PSEUDO-DIONYSIUS: Scriptural truth has passed on to us the fact that the prayers of the righteous are of use only to those who are worthy of them, and only in this life, not after death. ON THE ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY 7.3.6.

DOING WORKS FITTING TO THE PRAYER. MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR: There are two ways in which the prayer of a righteous man is effective. The first is when the person praying does so by offering to God his works done according to his commands. Then the prayer is not just a matter of words, blurted out meaninglessly with the empty echo of the tongue, but powerful and living and inspired with the spirit of the commandments. For the true basis of prayer and supplication is the fulfillment of the commandments by virtue. This makes the prayer of a righteous person strong and full of power. The second way is when the person who asks for the prayers of a righteous man fulfills the works of prayer, above all by putting his life right. Then he makes the prayer of the righteous man strong, because it is reinforced by his own wonderful conversion. For there is nothing to be profited by a person who makes use of the prayer of a righteous man if he is himself already more inclined to virtue than to vice. CATENA.

ASK GOD. BEDE: God loves to be asked, so that he can give. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 2.14.

COOPERATING WITH THE INTENT OF THE PETITIONER. THEOPHYLACT: The prayer of a righteous man is effective as long as the person who is being prayed for cooperates with his intentions. For if other people are praying for us while we are wasting our time in idleness and debauchery, their prayers will be useless. COMMENTARY ON JAMES.

Jas