THE SECONDPETITION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "Thy kingdom come"
天主经第二请求：尔国临格。
ImportanceOf Instruction On This Petition
本请求的重要性
The kingdomof heaven which we pray for in this second Petition is the great end to whichis referred, and inwhich terminates all the preaching of the Gospel; for fromit St. John the Baptist commenced his exhortation topenance: Do penance, forthe kingdom of heaven is at hand. With it also the Saviour of the world openedHispreaching. In that admirable discourse on the mount in which He points outto His disciples the way tohappiness, having proposed, as it were, thesubject-matter of His discourse, our Lord commences with thekingdom of heaven:Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Again, tothose whowould detain Him with them, He assigns as the necessary cause of Hisdeparture: To other cities, also, I mustpreach the kingdom of God; therefore amI sent. This kingdom He afterwards commanded the Apostles topreach. And to himwho expressed a wish to go and bury his father, He replied: Go thou, and preachthekingdom of God. And after He had risen from the dead, during those fortydays in which He appeared to theApostles, He spoke of the kingdom of God.
在第二请求中，我们祈祷的天主之国，就是整个福音宣讲中所指的，并且终结了福音宣讲的最伟大的目的；因为圣洗者若翰是从天主之国开始劝说悔改：你们悔改罢！因为天国临近了（玛窦3:2）。世界的救主也从此开始了祂的宣讲。在著名的山中圣训里，祂给宗徒们指出了幸福的道路，这是祂一贯主张的就是这次对话的主题，我们的上主从天国开始：神贫的人是有福的，因为天国是他们的。此外，对挽留祂的群众们，祂解释说：我也必须向别的城传报天主国的喜讯，因为我被派遣，正是为了这事（路加4:43）。之后祂命令宗徒宣讲天国。对那想先要回家埋葬父亲的，祂说：至于你，你要去宣扬天主的国（路加9:60）。在祂复活后的四十天里，祂显现给宗徒们时，祂就在讲天主的国。
This secondPetition, therefore, the pastor should treat with the greatest attention, inorder to impress on theminds of his faithful hearers its great importance andnecessity.
因此第二请求，牧者应该用最大的注意力对待，为的是加深他的信友听众关于这极大重要性和必要性的印象。
GreatnessOf This Petition
本请求的重要性
In thefirst place pastors will be greatly assisted towards an accurate and carefulexplanation of this Petition bythe thought that (the Redeemer Himself)commanded this Petition, although united to the others, to be alsoofferedseparately, in order that we may seek with the greatest earnestness that forwhich we pray; for He says:Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, andall these things shall be added unto you.
首先，牧者在精确解释本请求时，要认识到，是救主祂自己命令了这个请求，尽管本请求与其他的放在了一起，但依然被分别奉献，目的是我们用最诚恳的态度来求；因为祂说：你们先该寻求天主的国和它的义德，这一切自会加给你们（玛窦6:33）。
So greatand so abundant are the heavenly gifts contained in this Petition, that itincludes all things necessary forthe security of soul and body. The king whopays no attention to those things on which depends the safety of hiskingdom weshould deem unworthy of the name. If a man is so anxious for the welfare of hiskingdom, whatmust be the solicitude, what the providential care, with which theKing of kings guards the life and safety ofman?
在本请求中，包含着多么伟大和丰富的天堂礼物，其中包括了保护灵魂和身体安全一切必须。如果国王忽视那些他的王国安危所依赖的东西时，我们就认为他的名不值得。如果一个人对他王国的幸福是如此的担心焦虑，那么万王之王的天主在保护人类的生命和安全时，又必须是什么样的关切和什么样的圣意关怀呢？
Wecompress, therefore, within the small compass of this Petition for God'skingdom all that we stand in needof in our present pilgrimage, or rather exile,and all this God graciously promises to grant us; for Heimmediately subjoins:All these things shall be added unto you. Thus does he declare that He is thatking whowith bountiful hand bestows upon man an abundance of all things, whoseinfinite goodness enraptured Davidwhen he sang: The Lord ruleth me, and I shallwant nothing.
我们把所有我们在当前的朝圣路上的需要的，毋宁说是流放路，以及天主慷慨的许诺给我们的所有请求都压缩在这小小的天主之国的请求中。因为祂马上补充说：这一切自会加给你们（玛窦6:33）。因此，祂的确宣布祂是王，用慷慨之手赏赐一切丰富给人们，当达味被上主的无穷美善所痴迷狂喜时，他咏唱到：上主是我的牧者，我实在一无所缺（圣咏23:1）。
NecessityOf Rightly Making This Petition
正确发出本请求的必要性
It is notenough, however, that we utter an earnest petition for the kingdom of God; wemust also add to ourprayer the use of all those means by which that kingdom issought and found. The five foolish virgins utteredearnestly the same petitionin these words: Lord, Lord, open to us; but they used not the means necessarytosecure its attainment, and were therefore rightly excluded. For God Himselfhas said: Not every one that saith tome, Lord, Lord, shall enter into thekingdom of heaven.
然而，我们为天主之国发出最诚恳的请求是不够的；我们必须在祈祷中增加要想尽各种办法来寻求并找到天主之国。这五个糊涂的童女也发出了最诚恳的请求说：主啊！主啊！给我们开门罢（玛窦25:11）！但是她们却没有使用必要的办法来确保获得天主，因此被公正地排除在外了。因为天主祂自己说：不是凡向我说『主啊！主啊！』的人，就能进天国（玛窦7:21）。
Motives ForAdopting The Necessary Means
采用必需办法的动机
The priest,therefore, who is charged with the care of souls, should draw from theexhaustless fountain of thedivine Scriptures those powerful motives which arecalculated to move the faithful to the desire and pursuit ofthe kingdom ofheaven, which portray in vivid coloring our deplorable condition, and whichshould make sosensible an impression upon them that, entering into themselves,they may call to mind that supreme happinessand those unutterable goods withwhich the eternal abode of God our Father abounds.
因此，负责照顾灵魂的牧者应该从圣经这永不干涸的泉水中，找出那些动机，包括能强力打动信友追求天国的，那些鲜明刻画了我们可悲处境的，以及那些能给信友感受到强烈印象的，在进入到他们自己后，他们能提醒自己，只有在天主圣父的永恒居所，才能盛产这至高的幸福和无法言说的美善。
Here belowwe are exiles, inhabitants of a land in which dwell those demons whose hatredfor us cannot besoftened, who are the determined and implacable foes ofmankind. What shall we say of those intestine conflictsand domestic battles inwhich the soul and the body, the flesh and the spirit, are continually engagedagainsteach other, in which we have always to fear defeat, nay, in whichinstant defeat becomes inevitable, unless webe defended by the protecting handof God? Feeling this weight of misery the Apostle exclaims: Unhappy manthat Iam, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
在下届尘世，我们是被放逐者，是与恶魔同处一地的居民，他们对我们人类的憎恨态度从不软化，他们决意与人类为敌，不可调解。我们对这些内在冲突和斗争应该说什么呢，灵魂与身体之间，血肉与精神之间，持续不断的相互冲突，在冲突中，我们总是害怕失败，不，立刻失败是不可避免的，除非我们被天主的手所保护？在感受到悲惨人生的分量时，宗徒大声疾呼：我这个人真不幸呀！谁能救我脱离这该死的肉身呢？（罗马7:24）
The miseryof our condition, it is true, strikes us at once of itself; but if contrastedwith that of other creatures, itstrikes us still more forcibly. Althoughirrational and even inanimate, the lower creatures are seldom seen so todepartfrom the acts, the instincts and the movements imparted to them by nature, asto fail of obtaining theirappointed and determined end. This is so obvious inthe case of beasts, fishes and birds that there is no need todwell on it. Butif we look to the heavens, do we not behold the verification of these words ofDavid? For ever,O Lord, thy word standeth firm in the heavens. Constant intheir motions, uninterrupted in their revolutions,they never depart in theleast from the laws divinely prescribed. The earth, too, and universal nature,as we atonce perceive, adhere strictly to, or at least depart but very littlefrom the laws of their being.
的确，我们的悲惨处境立刻无时无刻在击打着自我；如果把我们的处境与其他被造物相比，我们受到的打击更强。尽管没有理性，甚至没有活力，极少看到低等被造物违背了指定和设计的目的，脱离了自然赋予他们的举动，本能和活动。在野兽，鱼类，和鸟类中这是很明显的。但是当我们举头望天堂时，我们没看到达味的证言吗？“上主，你的圣言，存留永远，它坚固而不移，好似苍天。（圣咏119:89）”苍天的运动持久不变，星辰旋转毫不改变，它们毫不偏离一丝神圣法则的设计。大地也是如此，因此，我们立刻理解到，宇宙本质严格的遵守它们存在的法则或者只发生极少的偏移。
But unhappyman is guilty of frequent falls. Seldom does he carry out his good resolutions;often he abandonsand despises what he has well commenced; his best purposeswhich pleased for a time, are often suddenlyabandoned, and he plunges intodesigns as degrading as they are pernicious.
但是不幸的人类频繁的跌入罪中。他极少能执行好的决定；他经常放弃和蔑视他良好的开端；他最好的意愿只满意一会，就经常被抛弃，然后他就投入到那有害的设计当中。
What thenis the cause of this misery and inconstancy? Manifestly a contempt of thedivine inspirations. Weclose our ears to the admonitions of God, our eyes tothe divine lights which shine before us; nor do we hearkento those salutarycommands which are delivered by our heavenly Father.
这种悲惨和善变的原因是什么？最明显的原因就是对神圣感召的蔑视。我们对天主训示封闭了耳朵，对眼前的神圣之光闭上了眼睛；我们也不仔细听天主圣父传达给我们的有益的命令。
To paint tothe eyes of the faithful the miseryof man's condition, to detail its variouscauses, and to point outthe efficacious remedies are, therefore, among theobjects which should employ the zealous exertions of thepastor. In thedischarge of this duty, his labor will be not a little lightened if he consultswhat has been said onthe subject by those holy men, John Chrysostom andAugustine, and still more if he refers to our exposition ofthe Creed. For witha knowledge of these truths, who will be so obstinate in sin as not toendeavor, with thehelp of God's preventing grace, to rise, like the prodigalson spoken of in the Gospel, to stand erect, and hasteninto the presence of hisheavenly Father and king?
为给信友眼里描绘人类的悲惨处境，为具体分析其不同的原因，以及为指出有效的救治措施，牧者应运用全力去解释这三个目的。牧者在履行本职责时，可咨询圣金口若望和圣奥斯定的相关著作，以及参考我们对信经的阐述。因为，如果掌握了关于这些真理的知识，有谁还会如此顽固的陷入罪中，而不是在天主的预防性恩宠的帮助下，努力站起来，就像福音中的挥霍小儿子那样，奔向他的天堂父亲和国王呢？
"Thy Kingdom"
尔国
Havingpointed out the advantages to be derived by the faithful from this Petition,the pastor should nextexplain the favors which it seeks. This becomes the morenecessary as the words, kingdom of God, have avariety of significations, theexposition of each of which will not be found without its advantages inelucidatingother passages of Scripture, and is necessary to a knowledge of thepresent subject.
在给信友指出本请求的好处后，牧者接下来应本请求所追寻的是什么。因为天主的国这几个字，有许多变化的含义，对每一种含义的阐述需要解释完圣经的其他篇章之后进行，这是对当前主题的必需前提知识。
The Kingdom Of Nature
自然的王国
In theirordinary sense, which is frequently employed by Scripture, the words, kingdomof God, signify not onlythat power which God possesses over all men and overthe entire universe, but, also, His providence which rulesand governs allthings. In his hands, says the Prophet, are all the ends of the earth. The wordends includes thosethings also which lie buried in the depths of the earth, andare concealed in the most hidden recesses of creation.
在圣经中这句话频繁的出现，天主之国的原意，不仅是指天主对所有人和全部宇宙所拥有的权力，而且还指祂统治和规范万物的圣意。先知说，大地的深渊，全在他手（圣咏95:4）。深渊这个词包括了那些埋在地下深处的，被封印在隐藏的创世深处的。
In thissense Mardochaeus exclaims: O Lord, Lord, almighty king, for all things are inthy power, and there isnone that can resist thy will: thou art God of all, andthere is none that can resist thy majesty.
以同样的意义，摩尔德开呼喊着：上主，上主！全能的君王！万事都属你权下，谁也不能反抗；你是万有的主宰。上主，谁能抵抗你？（艾斯德尔传4:19）
The Kingdom Of Grace
恩宠的王国
By thekingdom of God is also understood that special and singular providence by whichGod protects andwatches over pious and holy men. It is of this peculiar andadmirable care that David speaks when he says: TheLord rules me, I shall wantnothing, and Isaias: The Lord our king he will save us.
天主之国也可以理解为天主用来保护和监视虔信者和圣洁者的独一无二的圣意。达味论起者特别可敬的关怀时说：上主是我的牧者，我实在一无所缺（圣咏23:1）。依撒意亚说：上主是我们的君王，他必拯救我们（依撒意亚33:22）。
Butalthough, even in this life, the pious and holy are placed, in a specialmanner, under this kingly power ofGod; yet our Lord Himself informed Pilatethat His kingdom was not of this world, that is to say, had not itsorigin inthis world, which was created and is doomed to perish. In this perishable way poweris exercised bykings, emperors, commonwealths, rulers, and all whose titles tothe government of states and provinces isfounded upon the desire or election ofmen, or who have intruded themselves, by violent and unjust usurpation,intosovereign power.
但是尽管，甚至在此生，虔信者和圣洁者以一种特殊的方式被置于天主的君王权力下；我们主祂自己告诉彼拉多祂的王国不在这个世界，这话是说，祂的王国的源头不在这个世界，这个世界是被创造出来注定要消亡的，在这个会消亡的道路里，实施权力的人是国王们，皇帝们，人民们，统治者们，以及建立在所有人们选举之上的，被称为国家政府或省政府的组织们，或者通过暴力和不正义的篡夺方式，让自己强行获得治权的人们。
Not soChrist the Lord, who, as the Prophet declares, is appointed king by God, andwhose kingdom, as theApostle says, is justice: The kingdom of God's justice andpeace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Christ our Lordreigns in us by the interiorvirtues of faith, hope and charity. By these virtues we are made a portion, asit were,of His kingdom, become subject in a special manner to God, and areconsecrated to His worship and veneration;so that, as the Apostle could say: Ilive, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, we too are able to say: I reign, yetnot ,but Christ reigneth in me.
所以如同先知宣布的，基督上主没有被天主指派为国王，祂的王国，如宗徒所讲，就是正义：天主的国在于义德、平安以及在圣神内的喜乐（罗马书14:17）；基督我主通过内在的信望爱的德性来统治我们。借助这些德性，我们成为了祂王国的一部分，以特殊的方式成为天主的臣民，被奉献给祂的崇拜和尊敬；以至于，如同宗徒说：我生活已不是我生活，而是基督在我内生活（迦拉达书2:20）。我们也能够说：我已不是我统治，而是基督在我内统治。
Thiskingdom is called justice, because it has for its basis the justice of Christthe Lord. Of it our Lord says inSt. Luke: The kingdom of God is within you. Foralthough Jesus Christ reigns by faith in all who are within thebosom of ourholy mother, the Church; yet in a special manner He reigns over those who areendowed with asuperior faith, hope and charity, and have yielded themselvespure and living members to God. It is in these thatthe kingdom of God's graceis said to consist.
天主之国被称为正义，因为有基督我主的正义作为基础。关于这一点，我们的主在路加福音中说：因为天主的国就在你们中间（路加17；21）。因为，尽管耶稣基督通过信仰统治所有在我们慈母教会怀抱内的人，然而以一种特殊的方式，祂统治了那些被赋予了一个上等的信望爱的人，他们以纯洁的和生活的天主子民屈服他们自己，被称为天主的恩宠之国的就存在于这些人内。
The Kingdom Of Glory
荣耀之国
By thewords kingdom of God is also meant that kingdom of His glory, of which Christour Lord says in St.Matthew: Come ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdomwhich was prepared for you from the beginningof the world. This kingdom thethief, when he had admirably acknowledged his crimes, begged of Christ inthewords related by St. Luke: Lord, remember me, when thou comest into thykingdom. Of this kingdom St. Johnspeaks when he says: Unless a man be bornagain of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom ofGod; and ofit the Apostle says to the Ephesians: No fornicator, or unclean, or covetousperson (which is aserving of idols) hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christand of God. To it also refer some of the parablesmade use of by Christ the Lordwhen speaking of the kingdom of heaven.
天主之国也意味着祂的荣耀之国，基督我主在玛窦福音中论此说：我父所祝福的，你们来罢！承受自创世以来，给你们预备了的国度罢！（玛窦25:34）这就是圣路加福音中记载的，当右盗值得赞美的承认了他的罪行，向基督所祈求的王国，他说：主，当你进入你的王国时，请你纪念我！（路加23:42）圣若望谈这个王国时，说：人除非由水和圣神而生，不能进天主的国。（若望3:5）宗徒在给厄弗所教会的书信写道：犯邪淫的，行不洁的，或是贪婪的──即祟拜偶像的──在基督和天主的国内，都不得承受产业（厄弗所书5:5）。基督上主在论述天堂时使用了一些寓言也可以去参考。
But thekingdom of grace must precede that of glory; for God's glory cannot reign inanyone in whom His gracedoes not already reign. Grace, according to theRedeemer, is a fountain of water springing up to eternal life;while as regardsglory, what can we call it except a certain perfect and absolute grace? As longas we areclothed with this frail mortal flesh, as long as we wander in thisgloomy pilgrimage and exile, weak and faraway from God, we often stumble andfall, because we rejected the aid of the kingdom of grace, by which wewere supported.But when the light of the kingdom of glory, which is perfect, shall have shoneupon us, weshall stand forever firm and secure. Then shall all that isdefective and unsuitable be utterly removed; then shallevery infirmity bestrengthened and invigorated; in a word, God Himself will then reign in oursouls and bodies.
但是恩宠之国必须优先于荣耀之国；因为天主的荣耀不能统治那些尚未被天主恩宠统治的人。据我们救主教导，恩宠是不停涌出永生的水泉；然而关于荣耀，除了称其为一个特定完美和绝对的恩宠，我们还能叫它什么？只要我们还身穿这软弱可死的肉身，只要我们还徘徊在阴郁的朝圣路和流亡路，软弱且远离天主，我们就会常常蹒跚和跌倒，因为我们拒绝了恩宠之国的帮助，这恩宠是曾经帮助我们的。但是当荣耀王国的完美之光如果能照射我们时，我们就会永远坚定并稳固的站立着。那样所有的缺点和不恰当都被完全的消除；然后所有的软弱都会被加强并重新生机勃勃；一句话，天主会亲自统治我们的灵魂和身体。
But on thissubject we have dealt already at greater length in the exposition of the Creed,when speaking of theresurrection of the flesh.
这个主题，我们在阐述信经有关肉身复活的部分已经做了详细的论述。
"Come"
降临/临格
Having thusexplained the ordinary acceptation of the words, kingdom of God, we now come topoint out theparticular objects contemplated by this Petition.
在解释完天主之国的普遍含义后，我们现在来指出本请求的特别需要思考的目的。
We Pray ForThe Propagation Of The Church
我们为了教会的扩展而祈祷
In thisPetition we ask God that the kingdom of Christ, that is, His Church, may beenlarged; that Jews andinfidels may embrace the faith of Christ and theknowledge of the true God; that schismatics and heretics mayreturn to soundnessof mind, and to the communion of the Church of God which they have deserted;and thatthus may be fulfilled and realised the words of the Lord, spoken by themouth of Isaias: Enlarge the place of thytent, and stretch out the skins of thytabernacles; lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes, for thou shaltpasson to the right hand and to the left, for he that made thee shall rule overthee. And again: The Gentiles shallwalk in thy light, and kings in thebrightness of thy rising; lift up thy eyes round about and see; all these aregatheredtogether, they are come to thee; thy sons shall come from afar, and thydaughters shall rise up at thyside.
在本请求中，我们请求天主，让基督王国，也就是祂的教会，能壮大；犹太人和外教人能拥抱基督信仰和真天主的知识；裂教者和异端能回到健全的思想，能与他们之前抛弃的天主教会共融；由依撒意亚先知说出的上主之言能够满全和实现：拓展你帐幕的空位，伸展你住所的帷幔，不必顾忌！拉长你的绳索，坚固你的木橛！因为你要向左右拓展，你的后裔将以外邦之地为业。（依撒意亚54:2）万民要奔赴你的光明，众王要投奔你升起的光辉。举起你的眼向四方观望罢！他们都聚集来到你这里；你的众子要从远方而来，你的女儿要被抱回来。（依撒意亚60:3）
For TheConversion Of Sinners
为罪人的转化
But in theChurch there are to be found those who profess they know God, but in theirworks deny Him; whoseconduct shows that they have only a deformed faith; who,by sinning, become the dwelling-place of the devil,where the demon exercisesuncontrolled dominion. Therefore do we pray that the kingdom of God mayalsocome to them so that the darkness of sin being dispelled from around them,and their minds being illumined bythe rays of the divine light, they may berestored to their lost dignity of children of God; that heresy and schismbeingremoved, and all offences and causes of sins being eradicated from His kingdom,our heavenly Fathermay cleanse the floor of His Church; and that, worshippingGod in piety and holiness, she may enjoyundisturbed peace and tranquillity.
但是在教会里，能发现许多人，他们宣称懂天主，但是却用行动抵制天主；他们的行为显示了他们的畸形信仰；他们的罪行把自己变成了邪恶的居所，恶魔在他们内具有不受控制的主导。因此，我们祈祷天主的王国能降临于他们，驱逐围绕他们的罪的黑暗，他们的心智能被神圣之光所照亮，他们能恢复他们丢弃的天主子民的尊严；所有的异端和裂教者被移除，所有罪的过犯和起因能从祂的王国中被拔除，我们的天父能清理祂教会的地面；以及在虔诚和圣洁中钦崇天主，教会能享受到不被干扰的和平与宁静。
That Christ May Reign Over All
为基督统治万物
Finally, wepray that God alone may live, alone may reign within us; that death may nolonger exist, but may beabsorbed in the victory achieved by Christ our Lord,who, having broken and scattered the power of all Hisenemies, may, in Hismight, subject all things to His dominion.
最后，我们祈祷天主独一生活并统治在我们中；不再有死亡，而是被基督我主的胜利所消灭；基督打碎并驱散祂所有敌人的势力，因祂的全能，折服万物受他统治。
Dispositions That Should Accompany This Petition
请求时应具有的意向
The pastorshould also be mindful to teach the faithful, as the nature of this Petitiondemands, the thoughts andreflections with which their minds should be impressedin order to offer this prayer devoutly to God.
牧者应留心的教导信友，根据本请求的实质要求，信友的思想和念头应该要有深刻的印象来虔诚的给天主奉献祈祷。
We Should Prize God's Kingdom Above All Things
我们应该赞美天主之国于万事之上
He shouldexhort them, in the first place, to consider the force and import of thatsimilitude of the Redeemer:The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in afield: which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joythereof goeth andselleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. He who knows the riches ofChrist the Lord willdespise all things when compared to them; to him wealth,riches, power, will appear as dross. Nothing can becompared to, or stand incompetition with that inestimable treasure. Whoever, then, is blessed withthisknowledge will say with the Apostle: I esteem all things to be but loss,and count them but as dung, that I maygain Christ. This is that precious jewelof the Gospel, and he who sells all his earthly goods to purchase it shallenjoyan eternity of bliss.
首先要做到，是思考救主对天国比喻的力量和重要性：天国好像是藏在地里的宝贝；人找到了，就把它藏起来，高兴地去卖掉他所有的一切，买了那块地。（玛窦13:44）凡是懂得基督上主宝藏的人，与其他的一比较，就会蔑视其他的一切；这人看来，财产，富有，权力都像废料。没有什么能与这无法估量的财富比较，甚至没有资格比较。凡是受祝福懂得这个知识的人，就会与宗徒一起说：我自愿损失一切，拿一切当废物，为赚得基督（斐理伯3:8）。这就是福音的珍贵珠宝，凡是卖了所有世俗财物来购买这珍宝的人，能享受到永恒的祝福。
Happy we,should Jesus Christ shed so much light on us, as to enable us to discover thisjewel of divine grace,by which He reigns in the hearts of those that are His.Then should we be prepared to sell all that we have onearth, even ourselves, topurchase and secure its possession; then might we say with confidence: Whoshallseparate us from the love of Christ?
我们应该为耶稣基督为我们散发出如此多的光明而感到幸福，能让我们有能力发现这神圣恩宠的珍宝，借着这恩宠，祂是属于祂的人的内心里的统治者。那么我们应该准备变卖我们在世的所有，甚至我们自己，来购买和确保获得这恩宠，然后我们就能自信地说：谁能将我们与基督之爱分离开呢？
But wouldwe know the incomparable excellence of the kingdom of God's glory, let us hearthe words andteaching of the Apostle: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neitherhath it entered into the heart of man, whatthings God hath prepared for themthat love him.
如果我们想理解天主荣耀之国的无可比拟的卓越，让我们听听宗徒的话和教导吧：天主为爱他的人所准备的，是眼所未见，耳所未闻，人心所未想到的。（格前2:9）
We Must Realise That We Are Exiles
我们必须意识到，我们是流放者
To obtainthe object of our prayers it will be found most helpful to reflect withinourselves who we are, --namely, children of Adam, exiled from Paradise by ajust sentence of banishment, and deserving, by ourunworthiness and perversity,to become the objects of God's supreme hatred, and to be doomed toeternalpunishment.
在心里牢记我们自己是谁非常有助于我们达到祈祷的目标，我们是亚当的子孙，被正义的禁令从地堂赶出来的流放者，由于我们的不值当和执拗刚愎，是应当成为天主至高的恼恨对象和判为永罚的。
This considerationshould excite in us humility and lowliness. Thus our prayers will be full ofChristianhumility; and wholly distrusting ourselves, like the publican, we willfly to the mercy of God. Attributing all toHis bounty we will render immortalthanks to Him who has imparted to us that Holy Spirit, relying on whomwe areemboldened to say: Abba (Father).
这个思考能够激发我们的谦卑自下。因此，我们的祈祷应充满基督徒的谦卑和对自己的不信任，如同圣殿中税吏，我们应该飞奔向天主的慈悲。把一切都归于祂的慷慨，我们应对祂献上不朽的感恩，祂为我们发出圣神，依赖祂们，我们才敢说：阿爸，父啊。
We MustLabor To Obtain God's Kingdom
我们必须为获得天主之国而辛劳
We shouldalso be careful to consider what is to be done, what avoided, in order toarrive at the kingdom ofheaven. For we are not called by God to lead lives ofease and indolence. On the contrary, He declares that thekingdom of God sufferethviolence, and the violent bear it away; and, If thou wilt enter into life, keepthecommandments. It is not enough, therefore, that we pray for the kingdom ofGod; we must also use our bestexertions. It is a duty incumbent on US tocooperate with the grace of God, to use it in pursuing the path thatleads toheaven. God never abandons us; He has promised to be with us at all times. Wehave therefore only thisto see to, that we forsake not God, or abandonourselves.
我们也应仔细的思考，为达到天主的国，要做什么，不做什么。因为，天主没有召叫我们生活在舒适和懒散中。相反，祂命令天主之国要靠猛力夺取的，以猛力夺取的人，就攫取了它（玛窦11:12），如果你愿意进入生命，就该遵守诫命（玛窦19:17）。因此，我们祈祷天主的国，这是不够的，我们必须用我们的全力去做。我们有义务与天主恩宠合作，运用这恩宠追随天国之路。天主从没有抛弃我们；祂许应与我们永远同在。因此我们看到这一点，我们也不能抛弃天主，或者抛弃我们自己。
In thiskingdom of the Church, God has provided all those succours by which He defendsthe life of man, andaccomplishes his eternal salvation; whether they areinvisible to us, such as the hosts of angelic spirits, orvisible, such as theSacraments, those unfailing sources of heavenly grace. Defended by these divinesafeguards,not only may we securely defy the assaults of our most determinedenemies, but may even lay prostrate, andtrample under foot, the tyrant himselfwith all his nefarious legions.
在教会的王国里，天主为所有人提供了这些保护者来保护人的生命，帮助人达到永远的救恩；无论他们是否为我们可见，比如不可见的天神，或者可见的圣事，这些都是可靠的用不完的天堂恩宠。在被这些神圣护卫保护时，我们不仅能确定的对抗我们死对头的进攻，而且能打倒暴君和他所有的邪恶军团，并给他们踏上双脚。
Recapitulation
重申
Toconclude, let us then earnestly implore the Spirit of God that He may commandus to do all things inaccordance with His holy will; that He may so overthrowthe empire of Satan that it shall have no power over uson the great accountingday; that Christ may be victorious and triumphant; that the divine influence ofHis lawmay be spread throughout the world; that His ordinances may be observed;that there be found no traitor, nodeserter; and that all may so conductthemselves, as to come with joy into the presence of God their King, andmayreach the possession of the celestial kingdom, prepared for them from alleternity, in the fruition of endlessbliss with Christ Jesus.
作为总结，让我们诚恳的祈求天主之神，就是祂命令我们根据祂神圣意志做万事的那一位；祂在最后的大清算日要推翻整个撒殚王国，这王国对我们没有任何权力；基督要得胜利；祂法律的神圣影响传播到全世界；祂的命令全被遵守；再也没有卖国者和背教者；所有人都会如此行事，以喜乐来到他们的君王天主的面前，并可以达到天国，这是祂自万世以来为他们预备的，在基督耶稣无尽的幸福果实里。
