Pope: God always answers our prayer

"The only uncertainty is when, but we do not doubt that He will answer. Maybe we will have to insist for a lifetime, but He will answer ". "How often have we asked and not received, knocked and found a closed door? Jesus urges us, in those moments, to insist and not to give up. Prayer always transforms reality: it transforms reality always: if things do not change around us, at least we will change".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - God always answers our prayer. "The only uncertainty is when, but we do not doubt that He will answer. Maybe we will have to insist for a lifetime, but He will answer ". Prayer - which changes things or changes our hearts - was the subject of which Pope Francis spoke at today's general audience.

Continuing in the cycle of catechesis dedicated to the Our Father with the seven thousand people present in the Paul VI hall, Francis highlighted that Jesus prays. "Every step of the life of Jesus - Francis said - is as if driven by the breath of the Spirit who guides him in all his actions. Jesus prays at his baptism at the Jordan, he dialogues with the Father before making the most important decisions, he often withdraws into solitude, intercedes for Peter who will soon deny him: «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 - he observed - consoles, to know that Jesus holds watch for us, prays for me, so that our faith may not fail. Jesus continues to pray for me".

"Even the death of the Messiah is immersed in an atmosphere of prayer, so much so that the hours of passion appear marked by a surprising calm: Jesus comforts women, prays for his crucifiers, promises heaven to the good thief, and says:" Father into your hands I command my spirit "(Lk 23:45). The prayer of Jesus seems to muffle the most violent emotions, the desires for revenge and vendetta, reconciles man with his most bitter enemy: 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 in prayer. And he thus says "Lord, teach us to pray" (11: 1). We can say that too ". "From this request a fairly extensive teaching is born, through which Jesus explains His own words and with what sentiments they should be addressed to God. The first part of this teaching is precisely the prayer to the Father- Pray thus: Our Father who art in heaven. " "The Christian turns to God, calling him first of all 'Father'".

"But in this teaching that Jesus gives his disciples it is interesting to dwell on some instructions that crown the text of prayer. They insist on the attitudes of the believer who prays. There is the parable of the importunate friend, who goes to disturb a whole family in slumber because suddenly a person has arrived from a journey and has no bread to offer him: “I tell you - Jesus explains - that even if not he will get up and give it to his friend, he get up and give him all that he needs because of his intrusiveness "(Lk 11: 9). With this he wants to teach us to pray, to insist in prayer. And immediately after he gives the example of a father who has a hungry child". "" What father among you, if your child asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of fish? "(V. 11). All of you, fathers, grandparents, have the experience when a child is hungry ... ".

"With these words Jesus makes us understand that God always answers, that no prayer will remain unheard, because He is Father, and He does not forget His suffering children. Of course, these statements put us in crisis, because so many of our prayers seem to obtain no result. How often have we asked and not recieved, knocked and found a closed door? Jesus urges us, in those moments, to insist and not to give up. Prayer always transforms reality: it transforms reality always: if we do not change things around us, at least we will change. Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to every man who prays. We can be sure that God will answer. The only uncertainty is when, but we do 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 carry in 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 will it be! Praying is now the victory over loneliness and despair. Prayer changes reality. It changes things or our heart, but it always changes. It's like seeing every fragment of creation swarming in the torpor of a story that we sometimes do not grasp  the meaning of. But it is moving, on the way, and at the end of every road there is a Father waiting for everything and everyone with his arms wide open. Let us look to this Father ".

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