CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- During his daily Mass Pope Francis reflected on the prayer of Moses to God in the first reading, saying that true prayer should be like speaking to a friend \u2013 with boldness and without fear.<\/p>\n\t\u201cThe Bible says that Moses spoke to the Lord face to face, like with a friend. This is how prayer should be: free, insistent, with debate. And also scolding the Lord a little,\u201d the Pope said April 3.<\/p>\n
\tSpeaking to those present in the Vatican's Saint Martha guesthouse, the pontiff centered his address on the encounter between Moses and God in the day's first reading, taken from Exodus, in which Moses intercedes for the people of Israel, asking the Lord not to destroy them as he threatens for worshipping idols.<\/p>\n
\tMoses\u2019 prayer he noted, \u201cis a real struggle with God. A struggle (on the part of) the leader of a people to save his people, who are the people of God.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe Pope went on to express how when Moses prayed, he did so freely, courageously and with insistence, stating that prayer ought to be a \u201cnegotiation with God\u201d to which we bring our \u201carguments.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tHighlighting how \u201cthe Lord repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to His people\u201d thanks to Moses\u2019 intercession, Pope Francis asked the question \u201cBut who changed here? Has the Lord changed? I think not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cThe one who is changed, is Moses, because Moses believed that the Lord would do this, believed that the Lord would destroy the people and he searches, in his memory, for how good the Lord had been with his people, how he had taken out them out of slavery in Egypt and brought them forward with a promise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tWith these arguments the prophet attempts to persuade God \u201cbut in this process he regains the memory of the people, and finds the mercy of God,\u201d the Pope observed.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cThis Moses, that was afraid, afraid that God would do this, eventually comes down from the mountain with a great thing in his heart: our God is merciful. He pardons. He goes back on his decisions. He is a Father.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tExplaining how Moses knew all of these things already, Pope Francis pointed out that he only \u201cvaguely knew it,\u201d and that \u201che rediscovers it in prayer. This is what prayer does to us: it changes our heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cPrayer changes our heart. It makes us understand better how our God is. But, for this it is important to speak with the Lord, not with empty words \u2013 Jesus says 'As the pagans do.'\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cNo, no: speak with reality,\u201d the Pope insisted, encouraging those present to say in prayer \u201c'But, look, Lord, I have this problem, in my family, with my son, with this or that\u2026What can be done? But look, you can't leave me like this!'\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cThis is prayer!\u201d he exclaimed, asking \u201cBut does this prayer take a long time? Yes, it takes time,\u201d he noted, adding that the time it takes is the time we need in order to know God better and to be able to speak to him as a friend.<\/p>\n
\tDrawing attention to how the scripture passaged describes Moses as speaking to God \u201cface to face, like a friend,\u201d the pontiff observed \u201cThis is how prayer should be: free, insistent, with debate, and should also scold \u201cthe Lord a little: 'But, you promised me this, and you haven't done it\u2026'\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cOpen the heart to this prayer,\u201d he implored of those in attendance, stating that after his encounter with God \u201cMoses came down from the mountain invigorated: 'I have known the Lord more.'\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cWith that strength that gave him prayer, he resumes his task of leading the people to the Promised Land. Because prayer renews: renews. The Lord gives grace to all of us, because prayer is a grace.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tConcluding his reflections, Pope Francis noted how the Holy Spirit \u201cis in every prayer,\u201d and that \u201cYou cannot pray without the Holy Spirit. It is He who prays in us, He makes us change our heart, it is He who teaches us to call God \u2018Father.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\u201cLet us ask the Holy Spirit to teach us to pray, as Moses prayed, to negotiate with God, with freedom of spirit, with courage. And may the Holy Spirit, who is always present in our prayer, lead us on this path.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Vatican City, Apr 3, 2014 \/ 11:04 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- During his daily Mass Pope Francis reflected on the prayer of Moses to God in the first reading, saying that true prayer should be like speaking to a friend – with boldness and without fear.
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