Prayer And Receiving

Tunc accesserunt discipuli ad Jesum secreto, et dixerunt: Quare nos non potuimus ejicere illum? Hoc est quod alibi dicit: Quaecunque in nomine meo petieritis credentes, accipietis. Et ideo quotiescunque petentes non accipimus, non Salvatoris nostri est impossibilitas, sed cupla deprecantium, dum aut male petunt, aut non cum integra fide petunt. Nam curato lunatico tunc accesserunt secreto more suo, ut interrogarent eum, et instruerenur secrtius, quasi domestici. Quibus cum respondisset, quod propter incredulitatem eorum factum esset, docet et erudit eos quantam debeant habere fidem, et quid agendum sit in hoc opere cum fide. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Liber VIII, Caput XVII Source: Migne PL 120.595b-c

Then the disciples came to Jesus secretly, and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' 1 In another place He says, 'Whatever you shall ask for in my name, believing, you shall receive.' 2 And therefore as many times as we do not receive what we ask for, it is not that it is impossible for our Saviour, but it is the fault of our praying, when we either ask badly or we do not ask in firm faith. When the lunatic had been cured they then came to Jesus in a secret manner so that they might question Him and be taught in secret, like servants. And He replied to them that it was on account of their lack of belief that it was so, and He teaches and instructs how much faith they should have, and how it must be done with faith. Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 8, Chapter 17 1 Mt 17.18 2 Mt 21.22