(From the catecheses of Pope Francis on prayer)
(Day 7). Prayer involves our entire being yearning for some “other” beyond ourselves. Specifically Christian prayer is born from the realization that the “other” we are seeking has been revealed in the tender face of Jesus, who teaches us to call God “Father”, and wants personally to enter into relationship with us. In his farewell discourse at the Last Supper, Jesus no longer calls his disciples servants but friends. When we commune with God in prayer, we need not be fearful, for he is a friend, a trusted ally. Whatever our situation, or however poorly we may think of ourselves, God is always faithful, and willing to embrace us in mercy. We see this unconditional love on Calvary, for the Lord never stops loving, even to the end. Let us seek to pray by entering into this mystery of God’s unending Covenant with us. This is the burning heart of every Christian prayer: entrusting ourselves to the loving and merciful arms of our heavenly Father. (5/13/20)
(Day 8). Men and women who pray know that hope is stronger than discouragement. They believe that love is more powerful than death, and that surely one day it will triumph, even if in times and ways that we do not understand. Men and women of prayer bear gleaming reflections of light on their faces: because, the sun does not stop illuminating them, even in the darkest of days. Prayer illuminates you: it illuminates the souls, it illuminates the heart and it illuminates the face. Even in the darkest times, even in times of greatest suffering. (5/20/20)
(Day 9). The Psalms teach us to pray to God in words that he himself has given us. In them, we encounter the entire gamut of human emotions, from praise, petition and joyful thanksgiving to anguished supplication for deliverance from life’s bitter disappointments and sorrows. The Psalms teach us that God is not deaf to our prayers, especially those that arise from a broken heart and a troubled spirit. The Psalmist’s repeated cry, “How long, Lord?”, is itself an acknowledgment that, amid our every trail and tribulation, God hears our voice and never abandons us. As a loving Father, he weeps for our sufferings in this world, yet in his wisdom he has a saving plan for each of us. The Psalms are thus a guide to growth in the practice of prayer. They open our hearts to ever deeper hope in God’s providential care; they confirm our trust in his promises, and they inspire us to persevere on our life-long journey of faith in his word. (10/14/20)
(Day 10). In the Psalter, prayer appears as essential to a good and truly human life, guiding our steps according to God’s will and teaching us to avoid the snares of evil. Genuine prayer enables us, even at times of great distress, to see reality with God’s eyes and to look upon our brothers and sisters with compassion and respect. In the Psalms, personal and communal prayer merge, and praise of God is joined to concern for others, especially the poor and those in need. Even the Psalms that seem most personal and private were prayed in the liturgy of the Temple and in the synagogues, and then in the assemblies of the earliest Christian community. They remind us that prayer must embrace every aspect of our lives in this world. Sometimes, prayer begins in our churches but then leads us to serve others in the streets of our cities. At other times prayer originates in the midst of our daily work, and then finds its completion in the Church’s liturgy. May we learn to pray the Psalms more consciously, letting their voice become our own, as we seek to grow in love for God, trust in the fulfilment of his saving plan, and charity towards all our brothers and sisters. (10/21/20)
(Day 11). Christ never neglected his dialogue with the Father, which guided all that he did and taught. In solitary prayer he nurtured a loving intimacy with his Father, an intimacy for which we too yearn. From our Lord’s example, we see that prayer first means listening, and encountering God: the primary desire of each day. Second, we need to pray with perseverance, so that it can become a rule of life, gradually transforming us and, by God’s grace, strengthening and sustaining us in times of tribulation. Third, solitude and silence are essential for prayer, not in order to escape from the world but, on the contrary, to help us open ourselves more effectively to the needs of others. Finally, prayer reminds us that everything depends on God. This leads us to recover the proper sense of our relationship with him and with the whole of creation. Let us, then, learn from Jesus, the master of prayer – who alone can grant us true joy and peace. (11/4/20)
(Day 12). Jesus taught us to pray to our heavenly Father, acknowledging our total dependence on him and trusting entirely in his providential care, even at the darkest moments in our lives. Prayer of petition arises naturally in human hearts. In the Bible we see countless prayers to God to intervene in the face of our helplessness before situations of sickness, injustice, betrayal and despair. Even the simple cry, “Lord, help me!” is itself a powerful prayer. God always hears the cry of those who call upon him. Saint Paul tells us that our prayers echo the yearning of all creation for the coming of the Kingdom (cf. Rom 8:22-24) and the fulfilment of God’s saving plan. We make our prayers of petition with confidence in him who has triumphed over all evil through the cross and resurrection of his Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit, who intercedes on our behalf and quietly works to transform all things. (12/9/20)