On Prayer 7.1

And to the argument about praying for the sun to rise, this must be said. The sun too has something in its own power, since it too praises God with the moon: “Praise him,” it says, “sun and moon”; and clearly the moon too, and consequently all the stars: “Praise him,” it says, “all you stars and light.” Just as, then, we have said that God, making use of what is in the power of each being on earth, has arranged them appropriately for some use for things on earth, so we must suppose that, making use of what is in the power of the sun and moon and stars, which is firm, stable, steadfast, and wise, he has ordered “all the host of heaven” and the course and motion of the stars in harmony with the universe. And if I do not pray in vain about what is in the power of another, much more is this so about what is in the power of the stars that dance in heaven for the salvation of the universe. Indeed, one may say of things on earth that certain impressions arising from our circumstances call forth our instability, or our inclination to the better, so that we do or say this thing or that; but in the case of heavenly beings, what impression could arise to drive out and move from its course, so useful to the world, any of those who have a soul so fashioned by reason and are, as regards themselves, causes of their own acts, and who use a body so ethereal and most pure?