engaged in the task of preaching. But, here, Thomas is speaking to us not as a preacher but as a theologian, a Master of the Sacred Page. And the first thing to which he wants to draw our attention is that, simply by saying the word ‘Father’, we overcome ‘three errors’, which, if we were to adhere to them in practice, would be fatal for our life of prayer.18 The first error is the idea that God is simply not concerned about us. ‘On this view,’ Thomas says, ‘it is a waste of time asking God for anything.’19