Chapter IV.
Why it is preferable to pray in secret rather than with loud shouting? Why men should pray in every place, but not women? And to what purpose do the voices that are directed? Raising pure hands, etc.
Let us consider what benefit it is to ask how we ought to pray in secret more than with loud shouting. Listen: let us take an example from the custom of men. If you ask someone who hears quickly, do you not think that shouting is unnecessary (Cicero, on shouting)? Rather, you ask quietly with a moderated voice. If you ask someone who is deaf, do you not begin to shout so that he may hear you? Therefore, the one who shouts believes that God cannot hear except when one shouts; and when he prays in this way, he detracts from His power. But the one who prays in silence shows faith and confesses that God is the searcher of hearts and kidneys (Psalm 7:10), and He hears your prayer before it is poured out from your mouth.
So let us see: I want men to pray in every place (I Tim. 2:8). Why did he specify men? Surely prayer is common to both men and women. The reason he mentioned men is perhaps so that women would not take over, would not misunderstand and start shouting everywhere, which we cannot tolerate in the Church.
But I desire men, that is, those who can keep the precept, to pray in every place, lifting up pure hands. What does it mean to lift up pure hands? Should you show the cross of the Lord to the Gentiles in your prayer? That is indeed a sign of power, not of modesty. However, you should pray in such a way that you do not show a physical gesture, but rather your light actions. If you want to perform your work, lift up pure hands through innocence. Lift them up not every day: once you have lifted them, there is no need to do so again.
However, I want men to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger and dispute. Nothing is truer: Anger, he says, destroys even the wise (Prov. XV, 1). Therefore, at all times, as much as possible, a Christian man should temper his anger, especially when approaching prayer; so that the indignation of anger does not disturb your soul, and so that no fury hinders your prayer: but rather approach with a calm heart. For what are you angry about? The servant sinned? You approach prayer, so that your sins may be forgiven, and yet you are indignant. This is, without anger.