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At Mass in Santa Marta, Francesco remembers two recent commemorations: the feast of Europe and the anniversary of the end of World War II on the old continent, praying that Europe will grow united in its diversity. In his homily, he said that prayer is access to the Father: one must have the courage to pray and believe in the omnipotence of prayer.
VATICAN NEWS
Francisco presided over the mass at the Casa Santa Marta on the fifth Sunday of Easter. In the introduction, he directed his thoughts to Europe:
In the last two days, there have been two commemorations: the 70th anniversary of the Robert Schuman Declaration, which started the European Union, and also the commemoration of the end of the war. Today we ask the Lord to join Europe in this unity of brotherhood that makes all peoples grow in unity in diversity.
The Pope focused his homily on prayer, commenting on the passage of gospel (John 14: 1-12) in which Jesus tells his disciples that whoever believes in him will also do the works he does and will do greater works than these, because he goes to the Father. Jesus says: “Whatever you ask me in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
“We can say, said the Pope, that this passage from the Gospel of John is the declaration of access to the Father. The Father has always been present in the life of Jesus, and Jesus” said that the Father cares about us and his creatures. And when the disciples asked him to learn to pray, Jesus taught the “father Our “Jesus” always goes to the Father “and” in this step he is very strong “because” it is as if he opened the doors of the omnipotence of prayer “, because he says:” I am with the Father: you ask and I will do everything. But because the Father will do it with me. “
“This trust in the Father, trust in the Father who is capable of doing everything. This courage to pray, because praying requires courage, it takes the same courage, the same frankness as preaching: the same thing. “The Pope remembers the courage of Abraham, when he” haggled “: he had” the courage to fight in prayer, because to pray it is fighting: fighting with God. “And also the courage of the prayer of Moses who dared to say” no “to the Father. Praying with little value” is a lack of respect. Praying is going with Jesus to the Father who will give you everything Courage in prayer, openness in prayer. The same thing that is needed for preaching. “
Then, the Pope comments on the first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, where he refers to “that conflict in the early days of the Church, because the Christians of Greek origin murmured, they murmured, at that moment this was done : it is seen that it is the custom of the Church … they murmured because their widows, their orphans were not well protected; the apostles did not have time “. And “Peter, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, ‘invented’ the deacons: seven people of faith who took care of the service, so that those who had reason to complain were assisted in their needs. Peter made this decision so that the apostles could dedicate themselves to prayer and the proclamation of the Word.
“This, said Francisco, is the bishop’s task: to pray and preach. With this strength that we feel in the Gospel: the bishop is the first to go to the Father, with the confidence that Jesus gave him, with courage, with parrhesia, to fight for his people. The first task of a bishop is to pray. “
The Pope remembers a priest, “a good pastor”, who always asked the same question when he met a bishop: “Excellency, how many hours a day do you pray?”, And he always said: “Because the first task is to pray” . “Because it is the prayer of the head of the community for the community, the intercession to the Father to protect the people.”
“The Bishop’s prayer, the first task: to pray. And people, seeing the bishop pray, learn to pray. Because the Holy Spirit teaches us that it is God who ‘does the thing’. We do a little, but it is he who ‘does things’ for the Church, and prayer is what makes the Church move forward. “And for this” the bishops must continue with prayer. “
That word of Peter is prophetic: “May deacons do all this, so that people are well protected and have solved the problems and also their needs. But for us, bishops, prayer and proclamation of the Word. “
“It is sad – observed Francesco – to see good bishops, good, good people, but busy with many things, the economy, and this and that and that … Prayer first. Then the other things. But when others Things take away space for prayer, something doesn’t work. And prayer is strong. ” Jesus said, “I am going to the Father, and whatever you ask the Father in my name, I will do so that the Father may be glorified.” “Thus, concluded the Pope, the Church continues with prayer, the courage of prayer, because the Church knows that without this access to the Father it cannot survive.”
The Pope invited to make spiritual communion with this prayer:
At your feet, oh my Jesus, I bow down and offer you the repentance of my contrite heart that is bored in its nothingness and in your holy presence. I adore you in the sacrament of your love, the ineffable Eucharist. I wish to receive you in the poor dwelling place that my heart offers you; waiting for the happiness of sacramental communion. I want to have you in spirit. Come to me, my Jesus, to whom I come to you. May your love inflame my whole being for life and death. I believe in you, I hope in you, I love you.
Pope Francis ended the celebration with adoration and Eucharistic blessing. Before leaving the chapel dedicated to the Holy Spirit, theMarian antiphon “Regina caeli“ sung in the Easter season:
Regína caeli laetáre, alelúia.
Quia quem merúisti portáre, alelúia.
Resurréxit, sicut dixit, alelúia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, Germany.
(Queen of heaven, rejoice, hallelujah.
Christ, whom you carried in your womb, hallelujah,
he is risen, as promised, hallelujah.
Pray to the Lord for us, hallelujah.)
(UPDATE HOURS 8.07)
