Pope Francis continues his catechesis on Christian prayer and reflects on why and how we should pray in all the events of everyday life.
By Robin Gomes
In the general audience last week, Pope Francis spoke about how the Christian prayer is ‘anchored’ in the liturgy. In this week’s audience, which is streamed live from the Library of the Apostolic Palace, he explains how prayer returns from the liturgy to the daily situations of life, such as on the street, in offices, and on public transportation.
“In essence, everything becomes part of this dialogue with God,” which is prayer. “Every joy becomes a reason for praise, every trial is an opportunity to ask for help,” he says. “Prayer,” according to the pope, “always lives in life, like glowing fire … Even when the mouth does not speak, the heart speaks.”
Every thought, even seemingly ‘ominous’, can be permeated by prayer, “which illuminates the few steps before us and then opens up to the whole reality that precedes and transcends it.”
“Christian prayer cultivates an invincible hope in the human heart,” the pope said, adding, “no matter what experience we have on our journey, God’s love can turn it into good.”
Pray in the present, today
In this regard, Pope Francis mentions the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which says: “We learn to pray at certain moments by hearing the Word of the Lord and participating in His Paschal Mystery, but His Spirit becomes us at all times presented the events of each day, to make prayer spring from us ”. “Time is in the hands of the Father,” says the Catechism, emphasizing, “It is in the present that we meet Him, not yesterday or tomorrow, but today.”
The pope notes that there are people who look to the future without taking it today. They live in a world of fantasy and do not know how to live the concrete reality of today.
Prayer transforms us
The pope says it is prayer that transforms contemporary life into grace – or rather, it transforms us.
Prayer “calms anger, sustains love, increases joy and cultivates the power to forgive.” Grace lives and works in us; the problems we face no longer seem to be obstacles to our happiness, but appeal to God, opportunities to meet Him.
“If you have an evil or unhappy thought that brings bitterness,” warns the pope, “you must stop and turn to God. The Lord, who is there, will give you the right word and advice to continue. without this negative bitterness. When someone is accompanied by the Lord, he or she feels braver, freer and also happier. “
For whom to pray?
The Holy Father invites Christians to always pray, not only for our loved ones, but also for all, even those we do not know. “Let us even pray for our enemies, as Scripture often invites us to do,” he says, adding, “prayer tends to an abundant love.”
He invites us to pray for those who are sad, and for those who weep in loneliness and despair and wonder if there is anyone else who loves them. Pope Francis’ prayer for a Christian works miracles by offering compassion to the poor for Christ.
In fact, Jesus looked with great tenderness at the weary and lost crowd who were like sheep without a shepherd. Compassion, closeness and tenderness, he emphasizes, are the Lord’s ‘style’.
We are all sinners loved by God
Pope Francis further explains that prayer helps us to love others, despite their faults and sins, and emphasizes that the person is always more important than their actions. And Jesus did exactly that. He did not judge the world, but saved.
The Holy Father wonders how bad and unhappy life must be for those who always judge and condemn others. Instead, open your hearts, forgive, justify others, be close to others, have compassion and tenderness like Jesus, he insists.
“We must love every man,” the pope continues, reminding us that we are all sinners and “loved separately by God at the same time.” In this way “we will discover that every day and everything contains a fragment of God’s mystery.”
God’s Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace
The Catechism further points out that “it is right and proper to pray that the coming of the kingdom of righteousness and peace may influence the march of history.” But to make it happen, “it is important to bring the help of prayer in humble everyday situations; all forms of prayer can be the leaven with which the Lord compares the kingdom. ”
Finally, Pope Francis notes that we are fragile beings, but we know how to pray, which is our greatest dignity as well as our strength. “Pray in every moment and in every situation, for the Lord is near,” he urges.
“And if a prayer is offered according to the heart of Jesus, the prayer will work miracles.”