Pope: prayer is a supplication, a cry to God. And God always answers
"At times we can believe we do not need anything, that we are enough for ourselves, and we live in total self-sufficiency. Sometimes this happens. But sooner or later this illusion vanishes”. And "one day" this inner voice "wakes up and screams". "In this season of Advent, marked by the pandemic, we make our own the prayer of supplication, which Jesus encourages us to.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "One may even not reach the point of belief in God, but it is difficult not to believe in prayer: it simply exists, it presents itself to us as a cry; and we all know this inner voice that may remain silent for a long time, but one day awakens and cries out. God will respond”. "The prayer of supplication" was the theme of Pope Francis’ general audience, continuing the cycle of catechesis on prayer.
At the end of the audience, also held today in the library of the Apostolic Palace Francis recalled that yesterday the Apostolic Letter "Patris corde" was published 150 years after the declaration of Saint Joseph as "patron of the universal Church" and invited us to invoke his blessing "on the Church in this our time".
“Christian prayer - he pointed out - Christian prayer is fully human: it includes praise and supplication. Indeed, when Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He did so with the “Our Father”, so that we might place ourselves in a relationship of filial trust with God, and ask Him all our questions. We implore God for the highest gifts: the sanctification of His name among men, the advent of His lordship, the realisation of His will for good in relation to the world." "But in the 'Our Father' we also pray for the simplest and most weekday gifts, such as 'daily bread' - which also means health, home, work; and also the Eucharist, necessary for life in Christ -; as well as the forgiveness of sins, and therefore peace in our relationships; and finally, may he help us in temptations and free us from evil”.
“To ask, to supplicate. This is very human”. "Our petition is already a turning back to Him” (no. 2629). At times we can believe we do not need anything, that we are enough for ourselves, and we live in total self-sufficiency. But sooner or later this illusion vanishes. The human being is an invocation, that at times becomes a cry, often withheld. The soul resembles a dry, parched land (see Psalm 63: 2). We all experience, at some time or another in our existence, the time of melancholy, of solitude. The Bible is not ashamed of showing our human condition, marked by disease, injustice, the betrayals of friends, or the threat of enemies. At times it seems that everything collapses, that the life lived so far has been in vain. In these seemingly hopeless situations, there is only one way out: the cry, the prayer “Lord, help me!”. Prayer can open up a sliver of light in the densest darkness.”.
And St. Paul says that all creation prays. "We are not the only ones to 'pray' in this endless universe: every fragment of creation bears the desire for God inscribed", even if "only man prays consciously".
“Therefore, we should not be shocked if we feel the need to pray, especially when we are in need. It is true: we must learn to do so also in happy times; to thank God for everything that is given to us, and not to take anything for granted or as if it were owed to us: everything is grace. However, we must not suffocate the supplication that rises up in us spontaneously. Prayer of petition goes in step with acceptance of our limit and our nature as creatures. One may even not reach the point of belief in God, but it is difficult not to believe in prayer: it simply exists, it presents itself to us as a cry; and we all know this inner voice that may remain silent for a long time, but one day awakens and cries out. God will respond. There is no prayer in the Book of Psalms that raises a lament that remains unheard. The Bible repeats it countless times: God listens to the cry of those who invoke Him. Even our stammering questions, even those that remain in the depths of our heart.”.
The Father wishes to give us His Spirit, which inspires every prayer and transforms everything. It is a question of patience, of supporting the wait. Even death trembles when a Christian prays, because it knows that everyone who prays has an ally stronger than it has: the Risen Lord. Death has already been defeated in Christ, and the day will come when everything will be final, and it will no longer scorn our life and our happiness. The Lord is near and many times we let him pass without realizing it. To be waiting, this is prayer.
"In this time of Advent, marked by the pandemic - he reiterated in his greeting to the Poles - we make our own the prayer of request, which Jesus encourages us to. Let's learn it from the Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, whose solemnity we celebrated yesterday. By following His example, we place all our trust in God, abandoning ourselves to His mercy”.
“This time of Advent, bringing us closer to the celebration of Christmas - he finally said in the greeting to Italians - disposes us to open the spirit to the light of the Mystery of Bethlehem. May the expectation of the Saviour push each of you to be ever more decisive and generous in responding to the needs of the Christian vocation ".
.png)
21/07/2020 14:42
