This morning's General Audience began at 9:20am inside the Paul VI Hall where His Holiness, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from other parts of the world.
In his speech, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on the Our Father, adding his meditation on the theme: Knock and the door will be opened (cf Lk 11:9-13).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's catechesis refers to the gospel of Luke. In fact, it is above all this gospel, beginning with the stories of his childhood, which describes the figure of Christ in an atmosphere that is thick with prayer. It contains the three hymns that are repeated in the Church's prayer every day: the Benedictus, the Magnificat and the Nunc dimitis.
And in this catechesis on the Our Father we go forward, we see Jesus in prayer. Jesus prays. In Luke's story, for example, the episode of the transfiguration springs from a moment of prayer. Luke says: As he prayed, his face changed in appearance and his garment became white and blazing (Lk 9:29). But every step in the life of Jesus is inspired by the breath of the Spirit who guides him in all his actions. Jesus prays at the moment of his baptism in the Jordan, he talks with the Father before making his most important decisions, he often withdraws into solitude to pray, he intercedes for Peter, who will soon deny him. He says to Peter: Simon, Simon, behold: Satan has sought you to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, so that your faith may not fail (Lk 22:31-32). This is consoling: to know that Jesus prays for us, prays for me, for each one of us so that our faith may not fail. And this is true. But father, do you still do that? He still does it, before the Father. Jesus is praying for me. Each of us can say this. And we can also say to Jesus: You are praying for me, keep praying because I need your prayers. We can all be courageous in this way.
Even the death of the Messiah is immersed in an atmosphere of prayer, so that the hours of his passion appear marked by a surprising calm: Jesus comforts women, prays for his crucifiers, promises heaven to the good thief, and breathes while saying: Father in your hands I convey my spirit (Lk 23:45). The prayer of Jesus seems to muffle the most violent emotions, the desires of revenge; it reconciles man with his bitter enemy, it reconciles man with this enemy which is death.
It is always in the Gospel of Luke that we find the request - expressed by one of the disciples - to be taught by Jesus himself how to pray. He says: Lord, teach us to pray (Lk 11:1). The disciples saw him praying. Teach us - we can also say to the Lord - Lord, you are praying for me, I know, but it teaches me to pray, so that I can pray.
From this request - Lord, teach us to pray - a fairly extensive teaching is born, through which Jesus explains to his own disciples with what words and with what sentiments they must turn to God.
The first part of this teaching is precisely the Our Father. Pray like this: Father, who art in heaven. Father: how beautiful it is to say that word. We can stay all the time in prayer with that word alone: Father. And to feel that we have a father: not a master or a stepfather. No: a father. The Christian addresses God by calling him above all Father.
In this teaching that Jesus gives to his disciples it is interesting to dwell on some instructions that crown the text of prayer. To give us confidence, Jesus explains some things. He insists on the attitudes of the believer who prays. For example, there is the parable of the impious friend, who goes to disturb a whole family who is sleeping because suddenly a person has arrived from a trip and he has no bread to offer him. What does Jesus say to the one who knocks at the door, and wakes up the friend? I tell you - Jesus explains - that even if he does not get up to give it to him because he is his friend, at least for his intrusiveness he will get up to give him as many as he needs (Lk 11: 9). With this he wants to teach us to pray and to insist in prayer. And immediately after he gives the example of a father who has a hungry son. All of you, fathers and grandparents, who are here when your son or your grandson asks for something - he is hungry, he asks and he asks, then he cries because he is hungry: As a father among you, if the son asks him for a fish, will he give him a snake instead of fish? (Lk 11:11). And all of you have the experience of a child who asks for food, you feed him or her what you have because you are concerned about his or her wellbeing.
With these words, Jesus helps us to understand that God always responds, that no prayer ever remains unanswered, why? Because He is our Father, and he never forgets his children who are suffering.
Of course, these statements put us in crisis, because so many of our prayers seem to get no result. How many times have we asked and not obtained what we have asked for - we all experience it - how many times have we knocked and found a closed door? Jesus urges us, in those moments, to insist and not to give up. Prayer always transforms reality, always. If things do not change around us, at least we change, we change our hearts. Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to every man and to every woman who prays.
We can be sure that God will answer. The only uncertainty is due to the time, but we should not doubt that He will answer. Maybe we will have to insist for a lifetime, but He will answer. He promised us: He is not like a father who gives a snake instead of a fish. There is nothing more certain: the desire for happiness that we all bring into our hearts will one day be fulfilled. Jesus says: Will God not do justice to his elect, who cry day and night to him? (Lk 18:7). Yes, he will do justice, he will listen to us. What a day of glory and resurrection it will be! Praying is now a victory over loneliness and despair. Pray. Prayer changes reality, let's not forget it. Either it changes things or it changes our hearts, but it always changes. Praying is now the victory over loneliness and despair. It's like seeing every fragment of creation swarming in the torpor of a story that we sometimes do not understand. But it's moving, it's on its way, and at the end of every street, what's at the end of our road? At the end of prayer, at the end of a time when we are praying, at the end of life: what is there? There is a Father waiting for everything and waiting for everyone with his arms wide open. We look to this Father.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized and translated into various languages. The Pope himself then offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I welcome the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially the groups coming from the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
(Original text in Italian)
In his speech, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on the Our Father, adding his meditation on the theme: Knock and the door will be opened (cf Lk 11:9-13).
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's catechesis refers to the gospel of Luke. In fact, it is above all this gospel, beginning with the stories of his childhood, which describes the figure of Christ in an atmosphere that is thick with prayer. It contains the three hymns that are repeated in the Church's prayer every day: the Benedictus, the Magnificat and the Nunc dimitis.
And in this catechesis on the Our Father we go forward, we see Jesus in prayer. Jesus prays. In Luke's story, for example, the episode of the transfiguration springs from a moment of prayer. Luke says: As he prayed, his face changed in appearance and his garment became white and blazing (Lk 9:29). But every step in the life of Jesus is inspired by the breath of the Spirit who guides him in all his actions. Jesus prays at the moment of his baptism in the Jordan, he talks with the Father before making his most important decisions, he often withdraws into solitude to pray, he intercedes for Peter, who will soon deny him. He says to Peter: Simon, Simon, behold: Satan has sought you to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, so that your faith may not fail (Lk 22:31-32). This is consoling: to know that Jesus prays for us, prays for me, for each one of us so that our faith may not fail. And this is true. But father, do you still do that? He still does it, before the Father. Jesus is praying for me. Each of us can say this. And we can also say to Jesus: You are praying for me, keep praying because I need your prayers. We can all be courageous in this way.
Even the death of the Messiah is immersed in an atmosphere of prayer, so that the hours of his passion appear marked by a surprising calm: Jesus comforts women, prays for his crucifiers, promises heaven to the good thief, and breathes while saying: Father in your hands I convey my spirit (Lk 23:45). The prayer of Jesus seems to muffle the most violent emotions, the desires of revenge; it reconciles man with his bitter enemy, it reconciles man with this enemy which is death.
It is always in the Gospel of Luke that we find the request - expressed by one of the disciples - to be taught by Jesus himself how to pray. He says: Lord, teach us to pray (Lk 11:1). The disciples saw him praying. Teach us - we can also say to the Lord - Lord, you are praying for me, I know, but it teaches me to pray, so that I can pray.
From this request - Lord, teach us to pray - a fairly extensive teaching is born, through which Jesus explains to his own disciples with what words and with what sentiments they must turn to God.
The first part of this teaching is precisely the Our Father. Pray like this: Father, who art in heaven. Father: how beautiful it is to say that word. We can stay all the time in prayer with that word alone: Father. And to feel that we have a father: not a master or a stepfather. No: a father. The Christian addresses God by calling him above all Father.
In this teaching that Jesus gives to his disciples it is interesting to dwell on some instructions that crown the text of prayer. To give us confidence, Jesus explains some things. He insists on the attitudes of the believer who prays. For example, there is the parable of the impious friend, who goes to disturb a whole family who is sleeping because suddenly a person has arrived from a trip and he has no bread to offer him. What does Jesus say to the one who knocks at the door, and wakes up the friend? I tell you - Jesus explains - that even if he does not get up to give it to him because he is his friend, at least for his intrusiveness he will get up to give him as many as he needs (Lk 11: 9). With this he wants to teach us to pray and to insist in prayer. And immediately after he gives the example of a father who has a hungry son. All of you, fathers and grandparents, who are here when your son or your grandson asks for something - he is hungry, he asks and he asks, then he cries because he is hungry: As a father among you, if the son asks him for a fish, will he give him a snake instead of fish? (Lk 11:11). And all of you have the experience of a child who asks for food, you feed him or her what you have because you are concerned about his or her wellbeing.
With these words, Jesus helps us to understand that God always responds, that no prayer ever remains unanswered, why? Because He is our Father, and he never forgets his children who are suffering.
Of course, these statements put us in crisis, because so many of our prayers seem to get no result. How many times have we asked and not obtained what we have asked for - we all experience it - how many times have we knocked and found a closed door? Jesus urges us, in those moments, to insist and not to give up. Prayer always transforms reality, always. If things do not change around us, at least we change, we change our hearts. Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to every man and to every woman who prays.
We can be sure that God will answer. The only uncertainty is due to the time, but we should not doubt that He will answer. Maybe we will have to insist for a lifetime, but He will answer. He promised us: He is not like a father who gives a snake instead of a fish. There is nothing more certain: the desire for happiness that we all bring into our hearts will one day be fulfilled. Jesus says: Will God not do justice to his elect, who cry day and night to him? (Lk 18:7). Yes, he will do justice, he will listen to us. What a day of glory and resurrection it will be! Praying is now a victory over loneliness and despair. Pray. Prayer changes reality, let's not forget it. Either it changes things or it changes our hearts, but it always changes. Praying is now the victory over loneliness and despair. It's like seeing every fragment of creation swarming in the torpor of a story that we sometimes do not understand. But it's moving, it's on its way, and at the end of every street, what's at the end of our road? At the end of prayer, at the end of a time when we are praying, at the end of life: what is there? There is a Father waiting for everything and waiting for everyone with his arms wide open. We look to this Father.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized and translated into various languages. The Pope himself then offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I welcome the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially the groups coming from the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
(Original text in Italian)
No comments:
Post a Comment