CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- For Pope Francis, prayer is neither a \u201cmagic wand\u201d used to get what we want nor something casual we do only when we feel like it, but is rather the strength that sustains our faith in difficult moments.<\/p>\n\u201cJesus says that we need \u2018to pray always, without growing tired,\u2019\u201d the Pope said May 25. What that means is that \u201cit\u2019s not just praying sometimes, when I feel like it. No.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone experiences moments of fatigue and discouragement, especially when it seems like our prayer seems ineffective,\u201d he said, but assured that \u201cGod answers his children promptly, even if it means he does it in times and ways other than what we would like.\u201d<\/p>\n
Francis spoke to pilgrims gathered in a sunny St. Peter\u2019s Square for his Wednesday general audience. He continued his catechesis on mercy as understood in scripture, focusing on the parable of the unjust judge from the Gospel of Luke.<\/p>\n
The parable recounts how a dishonest, indifferent judge is swayed by the constant requests of a widow, who insistently pleads for justice. In the end, the judge concedes due to the widow\u2019s frequent appeals.<\/p>\n
In his speech, the Pope noted now the judge in the parable represents a \u201cpowerful persona\u201d responsible for passing judgement according to the Law of Moses.<\/p>\n
Because of this, \u201cbiblical tradition recommended that judges were God-fearing people, trustworthy, impartial and incorruptible,\u201d Francis said, adding in an off-the-cuff comment that \u201cit would do good to listen to this even today!\u201d<\/p>\n
However, he noted how instead, the judge in the parable neither feared God nor respected other people. \u201cHe was an unjust judge, without scruples, who didn\u2019t take the law into account but did whatever he wanted, according to his own interests,\u201d the Pope observed.<\/p>\n
The widow, on the other hand, was considered to be among the weakest class in society, along with orphans and foreigners.<\/p>\n
\u201cA poor widow by herself could have been ignored and left without justice, like the orphan, the foreigner, the migrant,\u201d yet when confronted with the indifference of the judge, \u201cthe widow resorts to her only weapon: continuing insistently to bother him by presenter her request for justice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis noted that it was precisely because of the widow\u2019s perseverance that she achieved her goal in the end. Even the judge admits that he grants her justice \u201cso that she doesn\u2019t constantly come to pester me,\u201d rather than out of genuine mercy.<\/p>\n
The Pope stressed that if the widow was able to bend the unjust judge with her \u201cinsistent demands,\u201d then \u201chow much more will God, who is a good and just father, \u2018make justice for his elect who cry out to him day and night.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
It is because of this that Jesus urges us to pray \u201cwithout growing tired,\u201d he said, explaining that \u201cprayer is not a magic wand\u201d we wave to get what we want when we want.<\/p>\n
Rather, prayer \u201chelps us to keep faith in God and to entrust ourselves to him even when we don\u2019t understand his will,\u201d Francis said, and pointed to Jesus as a prime example.<\/p>\n
He referred to the passage in St. Paul\u2019s letter to the Hebrews in which the apostle noted how during Jesus\u2019 earthly life, \u201che offered prayer and supplication, with loud cries and tears, to God who could save him from death and, because of his full abandonment to (the Father), was heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Paul didn\u2019t make a mistake on this point, the Pope said, noting that God really did save Jesus from death by giving him full victory over it, \u201cbut the path taken to get to it was through death itself!\u201d<\/p>\n
The same goes for Jesus\u2019 prayer in Gethsemane, when Jesus, \u201cassaulted by looming anguish,\u201d prays to his Father to deliver him from the \u201cchalice\u201d of his Passion. However, even though Jesus asks for delivery, his prayer \u201cis pervaded by confidence in the Father and he entrusts himself to his (Father\u2019s) will without reserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe object of prayer passes into second place; what is most important above all is his relationship with the Father,\u201d Francis said, and explained that what prayer does is transform one\u2019s desire and \u201cmodels it according to the will of God, whatever it is, so that whoever prays aspires first of all to union with Him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Francis concluded his address by pointing to Jesus\u2019 question at the end of the parable: \u201cBut the Son of Man, when he comes, will he find faith on earth?\u201d<\/p>\n
With this question \u201cwe are all put on guard,\u201d he said, and stressed that we must never cease praying, even if it doesn\u2019t always \u201cpay out\u201d the way we want.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s prayer that preserves faith; without it faith falters!\u201d he said, and prayed for the Lord to grant all \u201ca faith which becomes an unceasing prayer, perseverant, like that of the widow in the parable, a faith nourished by the desire for his coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
After concluding his address the Pope offered a special appeal to protect children in honor of International Missing Children\u2019s Day, which was established by U.S. President Ronald Regan in 1983, four years after 6-year-old Etan Patz disappeared in New York City. Since then it has been celebrated internationally every year on May 25.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a duty of everyone to protect children, especially those exposed to elevated risk of exploitation, trafficking and deviant conduct,\u201d Francis said, and voiced his hope that both civil and religious authorities \u201cmight stir consciences and raise awareness, in order to avoid indifference.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also offered prayers for the more than 160 people killed Monday in coordinated attacks on the cities of Jableh and Tartus in Syria.<\/p>\n
\u201cI exhort everyone to pray to the merciful Father, to pray to the Madonna, that God might give eternal rest to the victims, and consolation to their families\u2026and might convert the hearts of those who sow death and destruction,\u201d the Pope said, and led pilgrims in praying a Hail Mary.<\/p>\n
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Vatican City, May 25, 2016 \/ 06:56 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- For Pope Francis, prayer is neither a “magic wand” used to get what we want nor something casual we do only when we feel like it, but is rather the strength that sustains our faith in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\n
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