Williams on Prayer

My principal exposure to Charles Williams up till now was through Lewis' quotations of him. These were snippits here and there, but cleaver enough to make me like him and quote him often. In the past month I've acquired two of his works, War in Heaven and Decent into Hell.

I began reading War in Heaven, a novel about the Holy Grail. The story takes place in the UK circa 1920s, and opens with a murder at a publishing company. This is all good and dandy and makes a fine read.

However, what struck me was just how much theology and wisdom Williams' packed into this fictional tale. (Now I must add him to my list of mythologists/theologians to study!) I'll just share what really jumped out at me: Williams' commentary on prayer.

In a chapter titled "The Second Attempt on the Graal," the Grail is metaphysically threatened by characters following the occult. (Creepy. Kind of makes you feel unclean while reading it.) A makeshift Table has gathered to protect the Grail, headed by the Archdeacon. Williams conveys his thoughts through the Archdeacon.

When the threat is realized, the Archdeacon cries, "Something is going on, I do not know what. Make yourselves paths for the Will of G-d."

"Against what shall we pray?" the Duke cried.
"Against nothing," the Archdeacon said. "Pray that He who made the universe may sustain the universe, that in all things there may be delight in the justice of His will."

The Archdeacon, the Duke and Kenneth continue to pray, but Kenneth finds his mind distracted. The Archdeacon cries out "Pray!" and Williams' narrative states: Kenneth heard, and knew his weakness; he abolished his memories, and, so far as was possible, surrendered himself to be only what he was meant to be.

The whole encounter displays surrender to self, and submission to His will. I wonder how much Lewis' thoughts on pray were influenced by Williams. I've lent much of my Lewis works on prayer and cannot reference what I'd like, for fear of misquoting. He does write in "The Efficacy of Prayer,"

Our act, when we pray, must not, any more than all our other acts, be separated from the continuous act of G-d Himself, in which alone all finite causes operate.

Make yourselves paths for the Will of G-d....