During Mass this morning, Francis notes we do not pray to a "cosmic God" and prayer "is not a magical thing." "We pray to the One who generated us, who gave us life. Not to someone: someone is too anonymous. To you. To me. We pray to the One who accompanies us on our journey: He knows all about our life. Everything: what is good and what is not so good. He knows everything about us. If we do not begin our prayer with this word, not with our lips, but with our heart, we cannot pray in a Christian way. "

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Prayer "is not a magical thing," and when we recite the Our Father we are not talking to a "cosmic God," but a " Father" who is "close" and "ours". "Because I am not an only child, none of us are, and if I cannot be a brother, I can hardly become a child of the Father, because he is a father of all. Mine, of course, but also of others, of my brothers. And if I am not at peace with my brothers, I cannot say 'Father' to him. " The "brotherhood", which indicates a heart in peace with others was the lesson that Pope Francis drew from the Gospel of today, in which Jesus teaches the disciples the Lord's Prayer.

Vatican Radio reports that during the Mass celebrated in Casa Santa Marta residence, Francis showed first as Jesus gives us now a council in prayer: "Do not waste words, do not make noise", "noise of worldliness, the noises of vanity. " The prayer "is not a magical thing, there is no magic with prayer." When one goes to a "wizard" says plenty of words to heal. But what "is pagan." We, Jesus teaches us, "we should not go in so many words from him," because "He knows everything."

In the Our Father, the first word is "Father," this "is the key of prayer." "Without saying, without feeling, that word - he warned - you cannot pray". "To whom do I pray? To the Almighty God? He is too far off. Ah, I can't hear Him. Neither did Jesus. To whom do I pray? To a cosmic God? That's quite normal these days, is it not? ... praying to the cosmic God, right? This polytheistic model that comes from a rather light culture ... You must pray to the Father! It is a strong word, 'Father '. You must pray to Him who generated you, who gave you life. Not to everyone: everyone is too anonymous. To you. To me. To the person who accompanies you on your journey: He knows all about your life. Everything: what is good and what is not so good. He knows everything. If we do not start the prayer with this word, not just with our lips but with our hearts, we cannot pray in a Christian language".

"Father, is a strong word" but "opens the door". At the time of sacrifice, the Pope said, Isaac realized that "something was wrong" because "he was missing a sheep," but he trusted his father and "confided his worries to his father's heart" . "Father" is the word that "the son" who left with his legacy "and then wanted to return home" thought of. And that father "sees him come and goes running" to him, "he threw himself in his arms", "to cover him with love." "Father, I have sinned:" this is, the Pope said, "the key of every prayer, to feel loved by a father".

"We have a Father. Very close to us, eh! Who embraces us ... All these worries, concerns that we have, let's leave them to the Father, He knows what we need. But, Father, what? My father? No: Our Father! Because I am not an only child, none of us are, and if I cannot be a brother, I can hardly become a child of the Father, because He is a Father to all. Mine, sure, but also of others, of my brothers. And if I am not at peace with my brothers, I cannot say 'Father' to Him."

This explains the fact that Jesus, after having taught us the Our Father, stresses that if we do not forgive others, neither will the Father forgive us our sins. "It's so hard to forgive others - said the Pope - it is really difficult, because we always have that regret inside." We think, "You did this to me, you wait '... and I'll repay him the favour ". "No, you cannot pray with enemies in your heart, with brothers and enemies in your heart, you cannot pray. This is difficult, yes, it is difficult, not easy. 'Father, I cannot say Father, I cannot'. It's true, I understand. 'I cannot say our, because he did this to me and this ...' I cannot! 'They must go to hell, right? I will have nothing to do with them'. It's true, it is not easy. But Jesus has promised us the Holy Spirit: it is He who teaches us, from within, from the heart, how to say 'Father' and how to say 'our'. Today we ask the Holy Spirit to teach us to say 'Father' and to be able to say 'our', and thus make peace with all our enemies".

 

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